Source: Daily_Mail
Sunderland 2 Everton 0: Sbragia's relegation worries deepen
A team desperate for points to maintain their league position strolled to victory in the Wearside sunshine. [LNB]Unfortunately for Sunderland supporters, it was an easy triumph for Everton, who are determined to capture fifth place. [LNB]Sunderland, meanwhile, remain hell-bent on offering a lifeline to their North-East neighbours Newcastle and Middlesbrough.[LNB]Ricky Sbragia's Sunderland side are still in relegation trouble after defeat against Everton[LNB] And if this was the players' response to Ricky Sbragia's angry appraisal of their embarrassing defeat by the league's bottom team West Bromwich the previous week, their fans must dread seeing the team taking it easy and allowing their opponents to play. [LNB]Forget the 'Hotbed of Football'. [LNB]The North East has turned into a soft bed, a place where visitors love to roam and pick up points. But for West Bromwich, all three of the region's teams would deservedly be falling into the Championship next season. [LNB]Sbragia's side even went into this game against the FA Cup finalists knowing that the entire bottom half of the Barclays Premier League had failed to win over the weekend, and that Newcastle had just suffered a 3-0 defeat which left them buried in the bottom three. [LNB]They finished the evening locked in the dressing such an uninspired performancein front of their own desperatesupporters? [LNB]He said: 'It was a great opportunityafter the other resultswent well for us. [LNB]Marouane Fellaini scored Everton's decisive second at the Stadium of Light [LNB]'I'd have beenhappy with a point but we failedto deliver despite that incentiveand we didn't have it in us. [LNB]'There wasn't enough effortand desire and we were carelesson the ball. [LNB]'There wasn't enoughenergy and we looked fragile. [LNB]'We have to get back to trainingand focus on Bolton next Saturdayand try to sort it out.'[LNB]By the final whistle, the homefans who had not already leftwere unable to hide their disgustat another gutless performanceand woeful result. [LNB]Everton, who had not wonaway all year, did not have toplay that well or work that hardto pick up three points, thanksto the generosity of Sunderland'sdefending and their inability tocreate a single chance of note. [LNB]David Moyes and his playersmay still be reeling from theinjury which has denied PhilJagielka a Cup final appearance,but they were never in any physicaldanger from Sbragia's team. [LNB]The Everton boss said: 'I knowwhat it's like at the wrong end ofthe table. [LNB]'It's not easy to win,confidence is drained and whenthat happens it's very difficult. [LNB]'We had injuries so we werestruggling for a team. But that'sthe type of performance I'vecome to expect. [LNB]'Everyone is jaded. we've beenon the go since July, but I have to keep the boys tip-top for theweeks to come and we have to beslicker, crisper and sharper so wego into the final with somemomentum and good performances.' [LNB]Although Marton Fulop maderoutine first-half stops to denyTim Cahill and Jo,and the samepair had effortsbravely blockedby DannyCollins and PhilBardsley, thebest chance andbest move of theopening periodcame fromSunderland. [LNB]Kieran Richardson hits his free-kick round the Everton wall[LNB]ButGrant Leadbitter,preferredto some of the other midfieldersavailable to Sbragia,rushed his shot from the edge ofthe area after Kenwyne Jones'slay-off and it went yards wide. [LNB]It took just three minutes ofthe second half for the collapseto start and for Everton to relishtheir dominance. [LNB]Steven Pienaar, who will rarelyenjoy as much freedom as he did on Sunday afternoon, breezedthrough the Sunderland defence,brushing off Bardsley's challengeto retain the ball from Jo. [LNB]Fulop'swide-legged stance made thefinish easy, inviting the SouthAfrican to slide the ball underthe keeper. [LNB]The chances piled up for Evertonafter that. Tim Cahill headedwide, Marouane Fellaini headedat Fulop, and Jo hit a shot widebefore Fellaini added theinevitable second by sidefootingPienaar's centre past Fulop. [LNB] Head over heels: Pienaar shows his gleeat opening the scoring[LNB]Meanwhile, the frustrationwith Sunderland's spinelessplayers spread across the groundto such an extent that seasontickets and shirts were flying tothe ground and the stadium wasa third full by the final whistle. [LNB]Very few players or the managerwere spared criticism, butDjibril Cisse and Jones took thebrunt of it for their lethargicinput the crowd were evencalling for substitutes DavidHealy and Daryl Murphy! [LNB]Not that it was much betterbehind them, where KieranRichardson sulked out wide,Steed Malbranque played like aman with a bang on the head,and Leadbitter and Dean Whiteheadtried and were very trying. [LNB]Sbragia travels to Bolton nextweek looking for a majorimprovement and a team whocare. So, 11 changes it is then.[LNB]SUNDERLAND (4-4-2): Fulop 4; Bardsley 5, Davenport 4, Ferdinand 5, Collins 5;Malbranque 4 (Edwards, 83min), Leadbitter 5, Whitehead 5, Richardson 4; Cisse 4 (Healy 64, 5), Jones 4.Booked: Davenport, Leadbitter, Bardsley.[LNB]EVERTON (4-5-1): Howard 7; Jacobsen 6 (Rodwell 73, 6), Yobo 6, Lescott 7, Baines 7;Gosling 7 (Castillo 86), Neville 7, Cahill 6, Fellaini 7, Pienaar 8; Jo 7 (Saha 81).[LNB]Booked: Cahill, Pienaar, Gosling, Saha.Man of the match: Steven Pienaar.[LNB]Referee: Martin Atkinson.[LNB]
