Last time Sunderland turned out in the league under the beaming bulbs of the Stadium of Light, a 123rd-minute Dan Ballard header sent the ground into raptures, and the club a step closer to a long-awaited
return to the top flight.
While the stakes, understandably, weren’t as high this time round, there is always that extra, inexplicable buzz that seems to come with an evening kick-off.
Coincidentally, the last occasion we met the Toffees in a Premier League fixture that also happened to be Monday Night Football’s game of choice. Although, if selective memory serves me right, I’ve long since chosen to forget that particular scoreline.
The newly unveiled Keel Crossing was a sight to behold prior to the game, with the £31 million structure illuminating Wearside in our famous red and white.
Unsurprisingly, Regis Le Bris opted to field the same XI that was victorious last weekend, with Lutsharel Guutruida and Bertrand Traore retaining their places.
Another sell-out crowd and another raucous atmosphere greeted the teams as they headed out onto a windswept Stadium of Light pitch.
Unfortunately, the rousing reception failed to translate into the early exchanges, as misplaced passes and clumsy first touches were a source of frustration. The visitors were first to second balls, and looked the more threatening on the counter, as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jack Grealish, and Iliman Ndiaye carried the ball forward with punchy impetus.
Moyes’ men seized the initiative inside 15 minutes, as some uncharacteristically suspect defending afforded a crafty dribbler like Ndiaye too much space. Some neat footwork from the Everton forward was followed by a lashed effort, leaving Robin Roefs rooted to the spot and powerless in preventing the opener.
The Merseysiders should have had a second and third shortly after. Grealish clattered one against the post, before a misfiring Thierno Barry sent a point-blank effort over the bar.
After a disappointing first 35 minutes, we began to grow into the game, as Bertrand Traore and Enzo Le Fee wreaked havoc down the right flank.
Despite going into the break a goal down, the signs of recovery were encouraging, and after the interval, that pressure immediately paid dividends, when Granit Xhaka’s low-driven shot took a fortuitous deflection off James Tarkowski’s outstretched leg, putting the ball beyond a wrong-footed Jordan Pickford – who was making his return to the club for the first time since leaving eight years ago.
From then on, we continued to probe for a second, with Pickford forced to pull out a sublime reaction save to deny Le Fee’s long-range shot.
Xhaka and Noah Sadiki were instrumental in re-establishing control and to our push for a second, decisive goal.
Late penalty shouts fell on deaf ears, with Sadiki’s cross cannoning off Michael Keane’s arm and Vitalii Mykolenko’s hand, in what was certainly the most contentious decision of the evening.
Upon reflection, the game finishing one-apiece was a fair result, and while on another day it could very easily have gone either way, our much-improved second-half display comprised all the hallmarks we have started to associate with this selfless group of players: grit, determination, resilience, and more than a touch of class.
While our captain will rightfully get the plaudits, Nordi Mukiele was, once again, fantastic both defensively and in the transition. The countless marauding runs he made down the right are indicative of a player bursting with confidence.
The focus on the collective is abundantly clear, with not one player outworking another. Importantly, heads don’t drop when we concede; we’ve come from behind on four occasions this term, salvaging eight points from a possible 12.
Still unbeaten at home, going into what promises to be our toughest game of the campaign so far, as we play host to table-toppers Arsenal, will only instil further confidence.
