Don Goodman
Former Sunderland striker on Sky Sports

Everton look sharp, don't they? The front four, in particular.

Sunderland defensively have not been able to match it.

Image source, Reuters

More good work for Everton as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall creates a chance for Iliman Ndiaye, only to see his shot from inside the penalty area well blocked, with a second attempt from Thierno Barry also charged down.

This is David Moyes' 31st Premier League game against a side he's previously managed (won eight, drawn six, lost 16), though he's only lost two of his last nine such games (won four, drawn three).

Image source, PA Media

Don Goodman
Former Sunderland striker on Sky Sports

I wasn't really expecting that after five seconds or whatever it was.

On his weaker left foot, what a strike. Sunderland will be relieved.

It was looking pretty good at the start of the season for Everton, but the last few defeats have set them back, conceding five.

It's a big night for Everton because if they don't win, they might start looking over their shoulder.

Everton nearly score in the opening 10 seconds!

The ball was sent back to Jordan Pickford and he launches it forwards, with the knockdown falling for the left foot of James Garner. He drills it low and hard from 20 yards out and Robin Roefs is panicking, but, luckily for him, it drifts just wide.

Away we go

Sunderland have named an unchanged starting XI for the very first time in the Premier League this season.

Tonight is David Moyes' 550th game in charge of Everon across all competitions, with only Thomas McIntosh (719), Harry Catterick (592) and William Cuff (577) taking charge of more games for the club.

A reminder of how the two sides line up tonight.

Everton

Everton boss David Moyes, speaking to Sky Sports on starting Thierno Barry over Beto up front: "We continue to try and change them around. We're looking for goals. We brought Thierno in, he scored 14 goals last year in La Liga and was part of the French Under-21 squad at the Euros in the summer, so he's still getting used to it, but we thought tonight was the right opportunity to see if he could score some goals."

On returning to the Stadium of Light for the first time since leaving: "I expect it to be extremely mixed. I have to say it's great to be back. It's the first time I've been back since I left. It was a disappointing time for me personally and for the club as well, but looking back, it was also a difficult time in the club's history."

On Jordan Pickford's importance to Everton: "He's been brilliant since I've been back. I think that, prior to that, as well, he's been excellent. You just need to look at his clean sheets over recent seasons, but also how he's done for England as well.

"He'll get a great reception tonight, deservedly so from the Sunderland supporters, but he's playing really well. Could've done a little bit better last week, but overall really good for me."

Ellen White
Former England striker on Football Focus

Image source, Getty Images

On Nordi Mukiele signing for Sunderland for just £9.5m:

It's a great signing for Sunderland. We've spoken about the amount of signings they've had this season, but I feel like he's had that assurance, that composure.

He's well-experienced. He's 28 years old, he's played in the Champions League over the last six seasons for RB Leipzig, for PSG and on loan at Bayer Leverkusen.

I feel like for this Sunderland team, they've only conceded seven, and he's been a key component of that. He's front-footed. He wants to make tackles. He's fast, he's agile, and he's also really composed.

With his long throws, he's got another thing to add to the team as well.

Sunderland

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris, speaking to Sky Sports: "We started the season well and we're happy to be in this league. The first idea is about the connection, how we want to play together. This togetherness is really important for us.

"The most important thing is to defend well. If you can defend as a unit, being strong to defend our goal is always better, because if you ask us to chase the result, it's always hard to play in this league. And after that, you have to play with the ball and take risks, and I think we have done well so far."

On Granit Xhaka's influence on the side: "He helps us to connect the players and to set the standards because when you discover a new league, especially with 14 new signings, you need someone to make sure that everyone is aligned."

Sunderland

Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, speaking to Sky Sports: "We got promoted, our starting 11 is almost entirely of new players, so we didn't know what to expect, but we've been very pleased with the start. The most important thing for us is the team represents the community and the values of the club, and for us, with the wins and the losses we've had this year, the team has made us proud, and that's the most important thing."

On the summer recruitment: "The stats showed that unless you do something extraordinary, you're likely to go back to the Championship. We didn't really set ourselves a budget in terms of money we wanted to spend. We had the ambition to try and bring in the players we want, and fortunately, most of the deals we wanted to do, we were able to. The spend was big, but we got the players we wanted."

On whether their great start changes how they approach the January transfer window: "I would say definitely a little bit. If we're in the bottom three by Christmas or in the top six by Christmas, that changes the ambition a little bit. We're currently preparing for all scenarios, but we've been doing that since the summer, so hopefully we'll be going into the January window with a top 10 finish in mind."

Must win in November when you've only played nine games and safely in mid table? Not convinced.

Ellen White
Former England striker on Football Focus

Image source, Getty Images

You have to credit the manager and also the players. Their endeavour, their want, their will, their desire, their teamwork and the ethic as well to have that connection.

If you look at the likes of Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki, they've covered the most distance in that midfield in the Premier League this season. Their connection is having a huge impact.

That's huge for them and the depth of their squad. Brian Brobbey and Chemsdine Talbi have scored and impacted, so it's the depth as well, not just the 11 that are starting.

Everton

Image source, Getty Images

Everton boss David Moyes is full of praise for the way former club Sunderland have attacked the Premier League since coming up through the play-offs.

The past two seasons have seen all three promoted sides make an immediate return to the Championship, but this term the new boys are making a better fist of it, with Sunderland seventh, Leeds 16th and Burnley 17th.

“I don’t think it was just their performance [in their 2-1 win] at Chelsea,” former Black Cats boss Moyes said. “I think the performances all season have been really, really good.

“A lot of people have been surprised by it, but they’ve got a great crowd behind them, they’ve been really strong at home as well. But obviously winning at Chelsea for anybody is a big result.

“Over recent years it’s not been easy for the promoted teams to stay up, but this year they’re having a right good go at it.”

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Sunderland

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris believes Granit Xhaka’s impact on his team cannot be understated. The 33-year-old midfielder has impressed for the Black Cats after arriving on Wearside from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer.

Le Bris said: “To be competitive at that level you need to own the performance on the pitch. For that reason, Granit helps a lot because he can manage different elements on the pitch but he’s not alone.

“He leads by example and gives this faith, this hope – when you play away against Chelsea, he believes we can win. He shows it, he tells it in the dressing room, everywhere, so you want to believe that it’s possible, you want to follow him. So he’s important for that as well.

“The target as a coach, you don’t want to be the main man, for me it’s not my purpose. I want to give knowledge, power, responsibility to the squad because I know you have to manage the game in real time.

“We are improving our level and we are now able to be more proactive, be more flexible, to be more adaptive to solve and fix problems and to seize opportunities as well.”

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

Everton's failure to score in their last two matches is the latest sign of a wider malaise. While Everton were successful in recruiting the likes of Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall during the summer, the Merseysiders' squad still lacks an elite centre forward.

Beto and Thierno Barry, David Moyes' current two options at number nine, have scored once between them in 18 Premier League appearances.

They have scored nine goals from an expected goals tally of 12.4 , with only Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace underperforming to a greater extent in front of goal.