Everton 2 Sunderland 0: match report

Little wonder that Steve Bruce is prepared to defy the Premier League's age of austerity and spend money despite it going out of fashion. Little wonder the Sunderland manager has already added one defender, Matthew Kilgallon, to his squad, and a second, in Portsmouth's Younes Kaboul, may yet follow. Bruce, put simply, cannot afford not to spend. The price of failure is too high. He will need no reminding of the figures. Seven goals shipped at Chelsea, four at Manchester City and, thanks to strikes from Everton's Tim Cahill and Landon Donovan, 18 conceded in Sunderland's last six Premier League outings. After a start to the season which inspired dreams of Europe, Bruce's side hover just three points above relegation.  Related ArticlesPremier League tablePremier League actionTelegraph player raterPremier League fixturesTransfer TalkSport on televisionHe will fear, though, that the scars run too deep to be salved by simply signing more players. Bruce totally remodelled his defence here and, yet, within six minutes and four seconds, had found his team pierced with the sort of ease which would shame a Sunday league team. Marouane Fellaini picked the ball up down the visitors' right-hand side, patiently picked his cross and found, with expert precision, the back of Cahill's head. Craig Gordon, unprotected, could only watch as the ball arced into his far corner. The second, 12 minutes later, was equally easy. Cahill nodded Leighton Baines's long ball into Donovan's path and the US international raced clear, finishing coolly with his left foot. Everton had created just two chances. David Moyes's team could scarcely believe their luck. Such is Sunderland's form, that was game over. Leon Osman and Cahill went close to extending the hosts' lead before the break, while only a brilliant goal-line clearance from George McCartney prevented Donovan doubling his tally - for the game and his Everton career - just after. Louis Saha, somewhat subdued, drew a brilliant saving tackle from John Mensah just a moment later, but of more concern for Bruce will be that the Frenchman was allowed the freedom of Sunderland's half to bear down on Gordon. The miss will have been of little concern to Moyes. Sunderland, content simply to avoid embarrassment, posed little threat, despite the introduction of Kenwyne Jones, the man Bruce is convinced is worth £14 million. 'Rafa, sign him up,' sang the home fans, so unimpressive was the Trinidadian's performance. That the Sunderland contingent echoed the taunt is telling. If only he could play at centre back.

Source: Telegraph