Premier League: Everton v Sunderland

Summary

Everton XI: Howard, Coleman, Baines, Stones, Jagielka, McCarthy, Barry, Lennon, Barkley, Osman, Lukaku
Sunderland XI: Pantilimon, Jones, van Aanholt, Brown, Coates, Cattermole, Gomez, Larsson, Defoe, Wickham, Graham.

Live Reporting

Alistair Magowan

CLOSE!published at 13:53 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Guess what? Another Everton corner after a drilled cross is blocked by Costel Pantilimon. From the resulting set-piece Romelu Lukaku heads wide from eight yards despite being unmarked. Great chance.
Postpublished at 13:52 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Who like corners? First one for Everton sees Lee Cattermole block Gareth Barry's close-range effort. Another corner and Connor Wickham manages to head wide of his own goal in front of Romelu Lukaku. A third one has Costel Pantilimon tipping Phil Jagielka's header over and a fourth is eventually smashed away by Sunderland. I'm losing count!
Postpublished at 13:48 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Bright sunshine at Goodison now, atmosphere a bit muted. You have to think Sunderland have got a real chance here, if they want it.
KICK-OFFpublished at 13:47 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Sunderland get us under way again. No changes for either team.
HALF-TIMEpublished at 13:46 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Image source, .
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HALF-TIMEpublished at 13:45 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Chris Waddle
BBC Radio 5 live
"Everton are dictating. Sunderland need to change it. With Jermain Defoe and Connor Wickham playing wide, it's not playing to their strengths."
Take Waddle's point but Dick Advocaat clearly has a game plan to pack the midfield and track Everton's full-backs. So far it seems to be working.
HALF-TIMEpublished at 13:42 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
When we are talking about end product, Leighton Baines has not really been his real self today. Seven crosses for the Everton left-back, including corners, and not one has reached a team-mate.
HALF-TIMEpublished at 13:42 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Image source, Twitter
HALF-TIMEpublished at 13:38 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Everton are going to use half-time today to mark the 30th anniversary of their 1985 title triumph.
Howard Kendall, manager of that famous Everton side, is among those in attendance along with a host of his title-winning players.
Image source, PA
HALF-TIMEpublished at 13:36 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Everton had 73% possession in that opening half but unless they improve their end product, it will be mean absolutely nothing.
HALF-TIMEpublished at 13:33 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Chris Waddle
BBC Radio 5 live
Image source, Reuters
"Those efforts from Romelu Lukaku and Leon Osman should have led to the opening goal. Costel Pantilimon has a good season and kept Sunderland in games on numerous occasions and he didn't know much about those ones. Everton are finishing the half strong. Dick Advocaat has to change it."
HALF-TIMEpublished at 13:32 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
But the referee Lee Probert blows the whistle before it can be taken. Given most of the other efforts it probably wouldn't have mattered anyway.
Postpublished at 13:31 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
One minute of added time. Everton win another corner!
Postpublished at 13:30 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Black Cats striker Connor Wickham wriggles into space to shoot towards goal but his effort is easily gathered by Tim Howard, who's not had his most challenging half of the season.
YELLOW CARDpublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Everton's Ross Barkley is starting to pick up the ball in danger areas. But I always think he could take a few more shots rather trying a cuter pass. Is it just me? Elsewhere, Wes Brown goes into the book for a foul on James McCarthy.
CLOSE!published at 13:28 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Two great chances for Everton and Costel Pantilimon is Sunderland's saviour. Leon Osman plays Romelu Lukaku through and the Romanian smothers his effort before Osman then fires towards goal but the goalkeeper blocks the shot with his feet. Great keeping.
Image source, Reuters
Postpublished at 13:24 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
And it is cleared by Jermain Defoe, one of the smallest players on the pitch. Everton lacking accuracy.
Postpublished at 13:23 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
A few more Sunderland fans have now arrived after earlier traffic problems on the M62. They need to play their part here as Everton once again win a corner. Connor Wickham heads out for another one. That's Everton's fourth of the half.
Postpublished at 13:21 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
You can't accuse Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat of lacking ambition, with Danny Graham flanked by Jermain Defoe and Connor Wickham in a front three. But as Chris Waddle said earlier (see 24 mins), do you want Defoe out wide?
Image source, Getty Images
Postpublished at 13:18 British Summer Time 9 May 2015
Goodison Park is pretty quiet so far. Everton's efforts are not quite coming to fruition and Sunderland will hope it stays that way. No shots on target as yet.