With confidence booming after a brilliant derby day win over Newcastle last weekend, Sunderland were quickly sent back down to earth after conceding six goals at Goodison Park on Saturday night.
The Black Cats did start brightly but just could not find the breakthrough as they hit the post twice early on in the match, before Gerard Deulofeu gave the Toffees the lead in the 19th minute and Arouna Kone doubled the hosts’ advantage on the half-hour mark
Though by the 50th minute, goals from Jermain Defoe and Steven Fletcher had Sunderland back on level terms, showing great fight and team play.
Yet the dismal defending and inability to last 90 minutes that has been so apparent throughout the season thus far was on show again, as the Toffees took complete charge of the match by netting four times in the second-half, coming from Kone, Romelu Lukaku and an own goal from Sebastian Coates.
The victory leap-frogs Everton to ninth on the table, while the loss leaves Sunderland sitting one spot from bottom.
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