EVERTON 2 (Cahill 6, Donovan 19) – SUNDERLAND 0

Their disappointing FA Cup exit put firmly behind them, Everton finished off Sunderland inside twenty minutes last night with high-tempo football which saw Tim Cahill use his head to score the first and make the second for Landon Donovan. The American almost added a third in the second half when Cahill again set him up with a beautiful through-ball; Donovan’s shot being cleared off the line.

As expected David Moyes stuck with the same eleven which fought back so strongly, but fruitlessly, in the second half against Birmingham, but the substitutes bench was filled out nicely by new signing Philippe Senderos and recovering casualties Victor Anichebe and Mikel Arteta. For Sunderland Matt Kilgallon was, as expected, given his debut at centre-back alongside Nyron Nosworthy, while up-front Kenwyne Jones was relegated to the bench in favour of Kieran Richardson as the visitors switched to a more defensive 4-5-1 from their usual 4-4-2.

Tim Cahill has been somewhat enigmatic so far this season, never quiet of course, always involved, but his goal scoring tally has dipped. However at the Emirates we saw him back to his best with the through-ball which released Pienaar to score THAT goal and again last night he was irresistible. Six minutes into the match Baines played the ball inside to Fellaini, who, in acres of space, drifted a delicious ball into the area and onto Cahill‘s head, he, jumping just behind his marker, skimmed it beautifully into the net high to Gordon’s left. Just thirteen minutes later Cahill used his head to great effect again as he knocked down a Baines cross, releasing Landon Donovan who controlled the ball on his chest, strode on and smashed it through Gordon from close range. With plan ‘A’ now in shreds Steve Bruce hauled off Richardson in favour of Liverpool target Kenwyne Jones and switched to a 4-4-2 formation. Donovan could have added to his tally in the fifty seventh minute when Cahill again released him with a perfectly weighted ball. The little American saw his powerful left foot shot bundled off the line by George McCartney.

Annoyingly the Blues took their collective foot off the gas for the last twenty minutes, ceding space and possession to the Wearsiders who pushed forward and won a string of corners. After Kenwyne Jones had missed horribly from a good opening the Park End responded with the chant ‘Rafa, Rafa, sign him up’ which, amusingly, the visiting fans also took up. Thankfully Tim Howard was not easing up as he pulled off two quality saves, first from Zenden and then from a Kenwyne Jones header.

Mikel Arteta came on for Donovan for the last fifteen minutes and immediately slotted into his usual central midfield role spraying a number of beautifully weighted passes around and winning one particularly heavy tackle which should have banished any lingering doubts about his knee. Landon Donovan has acclimatized more quickly to the demands of the Premier League than has Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and the American has already become a key member of the team. Fleet footed rather than fast (in say the Wright-Phillips mould), the American has superb positional sense and anticipation which carries him into the spaces from which he can hurt any opposition. Despite his loan period only lasting for twelve weeks we suspect and hope a way will be found for Donovan to keep hold of that number 9 shirt for some years to come.

EVERTON (4-4-1-1): Howard; Neville ©, Heitinga, Distin, Baines; Fellaini, Osman, Donovan (Arteta 76), Pienaar (Anichebe 90+1); Cahill; Saha (Vaughan 78)
Subs not used: Nash, Senderos, Coleman, Bilyaletdinov

SUNDERLAND (4-5-1): Gordon: Mensah, Nosworthy (Da Silva 59), Kilgallon, McCartney; Henderson, Cana ©, Cattermole (Reid h-t), Zenden, Richardson (Jones 26); Bent
Subs not used: Fulop, Campbell, Malbranque, Meyler

Referee: Phil Dowd             Gate: 32,163