What we learned from Everton 1-3 Sunderland | OneFootball

(Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)

That’s it. Season over.

At one stage early in the second half on Sunday, Everton were eighth, above Brentford and well in the European fight. By full-time, they were 11th, having slumped to a humbling 3-1 defeat to Sunderland. By the close of Sunday’s play, the Toffees sat 12th. Terrible.

Here’s what we learned from a really, really grim day at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

IT FEELS LIKE A TURNING POINT

I have stuck by David Moyes this season. I have seen there has been some progress, and I feel he has done a good job over the course of his second stint so far — 80 points from 56 games is reasonable, if not exceptional, and equates to a lower, top-half team.

But there is no excuse for Sunday’s effort and, in all honesty, it feels as though it may have been a turning point. Think when Everton fell to that 3-2 defeat to West Ham under Roberto Martinez in 2016, or when Marco Silva’s Everton lost to Norwich City in 2019.

Now, perhaps the picture is not quite as bleak, but this is the type of result and performance which sees fans who had been resolutely standing by the coaching staff begin to waver, and those who were on the fence, probably begin to stray more towards the negative viewpoint.

Moyes did himself absolutely no favours. He stuck with the tried, tested and failing defence, and was made to pay for it. He instilled no fresh legs into the attack, and was rewarded by another terrible performance from Iliman Ndiaye. Beto toiled up top on his own, then exactly the same happened to Thierno Barry.

The Scot has done good, but he isn’t going to change — he can’t get out of his own way.

Will TFG change it? Well, going off Angus Kinnear’s programme notes, it seems highly unlikely. Perhaps the CEO should reconsider whether he wants to be quite as effusive in his praise of a manager, next time, and begin to realise he is now in charge of one of England’s biggest clubs, and expectations must be higher.

Moyes has helped raise the bar, but if he cannot meet those standards himself, then it is time to think about a change.

FANS NEED TO STOP FINDING EXCUSES FOR PLAYERS

This is not me alleviating Moyes of blame. Far from it. But while he should be criticised for his mistakes, we also should not then stretch to find excuses for some of these players.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is bang out of form, but still he tries to be involved, he tries to make things happen. He created a team-leading three chances, and while he is not at his best, he is always in the action. The same can be said of James Garner, who is always trying to set the tone.

But other players are letting themselves, the manager, and the fans down.

Jake O’Brien was abysmal. And while he absolutely should not be playing at right-back, that is no excuse for his woeful error that resulted in Brian Brobbey going through to equalise.

And even then, James Tarkowski was simply bullied by Brobbey, just as he was bullied last week by Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Going the other way, Ndiaye turned in his worst performance in an Everton shirt. It’s fine to miss chances, that happens — while it’s frustrating, players come in and out of scoring form. But the complete lack of pressure and effort and fight from him is not something we are accustomed to seeing.

Ndiaye was pathetically poor when it came to defending against Enzo Le Fee for Sunderland’s second goal, even if Jordan Pickford should have done better, but the worse moment came when it was 1-0 to Everton. Ndiaye had Beto in acres of his space to his left, with the chance to put the game to bed. Instead, he completely skewed his pass straight to Sunderland’s goalkeeper.

He is clearly tired, clearly feeling the strain of a long season, and Moyes’ refusal to take him off does not help at all. But that is not an excuse.

These players needed to step up, and they haven’t done so. Too many of them have proved that they are simply mid-table, and as much as Moyes will take the blame, and he should, this squad needs vast improvement.

EVERTON FAILED COLEMAN

Seamus Coleman’s send off should have come off the back of a positive result and display, and in front of a full house.

Instead, he was given a sentimental couple of minutes (there’s a case to say he’d have been better off starting or simply not playing at all), during which he ended up being partly at fault for Sunderland’s third goal.

To make matters worse, the 17-year servant of the club, who deserved so much better, then had to do a lap of honour in front of a half-empty ground.

I am not blaming any fan who left, but it just sums Everton up. Something needs to change significantly at this club, because Coleman was worthy of so much more.

Moyes, Kinnear and TFG — take note. Oh, and make sure Coleman gets a testimonial where his send-off won’t be impacted by abject performances from his team-mates and manager.

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Anthony O'Sullivan 1 Posted 18/05/2026 at 09:32:28

It happened all season, we get to a season defining game, where players should play like it's a cup final, and they just don't show up.

What caught us was poor squad management. There needs to be a steady rotation of players so the first team stays fit and the subs all have match fitness so when they come on, or rotate in, they can have an impact.

I'll go all the way back to the league cup. We were on a good run, ignoring the sage advice to never change a winning team, Moyes made a huge amount of sweeping changes to give other players a chance.

But you can't make that many changes at once without the team feeling like they never played together. We got a terrible performance, got dumped out and for most of those players that was the end of that. A bunch of cameos at best. 2-5 minutes here and there.

We ended the season with a first team that couldn't play past 75 mins and a bench that couldn't impact a game.

A stat popped up on screen on Sunday saying Everton were one of the worst for giving away goals in the 76+ min mark with 9. That was soon to be 11 as our players huffed and puffed around, making silly errors.

John Pickles 3 Posted 18/05/2026 at 09:47:33

I agree with everything you said about the players, in fact you could go further.

Pickford has been immense for us again this season as a shot-stopper. I say has, because for the last 2 home games he looks like he could let anything in, Sunderland's second was proof of that.

His command of the 6 yard box though, is non-existent. Every ball sent in from a corner or free-kick looks like a goal waiting to happen. He made, I think, his only save yesterday, off a chance caused by one of his weak punched clearances. If we have a goalkeeping coach, he needs sacking.

Do we have two Betos? Identical twins maybe? One wins duels, battles for everything and can score with feet and head. His twin played yesterday, he can't do any of those things.

David West 4 Posted 18/05/2026 at 09:49:28

I too Patric think yesterday and these last few weeks will have swayed many like myself, who thought Moyes was making progress, which is debatable considering the poor standard of the PL this year.

Players make mistakes that's football, shite players make them alot, we have alot of shite players, playing more often than they should.

Managers mistakes are different, they are thought out, calculated and deliberate.

Players at his disposal is a defence for Moyes, but his style won't change, so do we get better players playing better shite football in the summer, or do we now need a new approach from a new manager?

I've been swayed in these last few weeks !

Andrew Ellams 5 Posted 18/05/2026 at 09:52:27

If those players are tired after a 41 game season then there are much deeper issues than management and coaching during matches. The training programmes obviously need some investigating too.

Midweek games have been few and far between and lets face it, our squad doesn't get as many minutes on international duties as some either. 3 at most will be starters at the World Cup and 1 of those is a goalkeeper.

Mark Ryan 6 Posted 18/05/2026 at 09:57:48

Moyes needs to be sacked because he won't walk. Sack him ASAP. A dreadful season all told. No progress. We still don't know if there is a top player in Dibling because he wouldn't play him. Is Aznou any good? we don't know because he wouldn't play him. Merlin wasnt played enough and yet why, he looks like a real prospect. Moyes needs to go and that's my last on this subject. I'm wasting energy repeating myself. Moyes out

Mike Doyle 7 Posted 18/05/2026 at 10:02:55

Agree totally Anthony. Most teams seem to have recognised the importance of rotation and use of substitutes. I don't believe our players are not fit but in recent games several look to be suffering fatigue. As others have pointed out, Moyes relies on his hard core group of favourites with most substitutions being made too late for any to influence a game.

This approach has already caught up with Garner and KDH while Gana and Ndiaye haven't looked the same since Afcon. Since both will also be involved in the World Cup this summer I expect both to return knackered for the start of next season (older posters will remember the same observations being made about the Everton players inc Alan Ball who went to the 1970 world cup and didn't perform the next season).

We all knew going into this game that a defence that included Tarky and Keane was likely to concede 2 goals (as they have in every game since Jarrad's injury) so why Moyes and his staff didn't make changes remains a mystery.

That we conceded late in the game (again) was inevitable as our main players fade and our super-slow defenders struggle against pace.

Darren Hind 8 Posted 18/05/2026 at 10:10:04

Anthony @1

Get paid

Sean O\\\'Hanlon 9 Posted 18/05/2026 at 10:10:50

Sunderland were the better team. Less mistakes, more desire to win, and a manager that puts Moyes to shame. If we fail to get anything from Spurs next Sunday, Moyes' biggest achievement of the season is getting 1 more point than Dyche with 49. Agree with comments about Pickford, Moyes refusal to change the back 4, playing Jake out of position, and too many errors by our so-called better players. I want Moyes out ASAP. Not making Europe is a disaster! No decent cup runs - Sunderland knocking us out of the FA Cup - oh, but we did take a point off them this season!!!! A great stadium should have a great team. We'll never have that with Moyes. My heart goes out to our long-suffering fans, who yet again face continual shame and humiliation.

John Williams 10 Posted 18/05/2026 at 10:16:56

What did we have on the bench yesterday, that could have changed the game, nothing. We are well short of quality players, yesterday, did any of our players deserve more than a rating of one and that score was just for turning up. From goalkeeper to number 9, we were poor and to be honest, Sunderland were no great shakes. Did they have a shot on target, in the first 60 mins. ? Two poor teams on yesterdays showing. Clearly many of these players had booked a summer holiday and were thinking of lying on a beach.

Darren Hind 11 Posted 18/05/2026 at 10:21:46

Anthony @1

Get paid

Jim Bennings 12 Posted 18/05/2026 at 10:26:13

TFG need a massive summer, monumental one.

We can't be harbouring all this false hope that three months of summer and a few half baked friendlies somewhere in America or against Rochdale will all of a sudden turn certain players into Lionel Messi.

Can't be sitting here with sentiment thinking you can seriously go again with that back four and pretend Branthwaite doesn't break down frequently with injury.

Cant pretend we are not one of the slowest sides in the league by a country mile.

They need to pull off a huge summer and make a quick fire decision on Moyes one way or the other.

Chris Leyland 13 Posted 18/05/2026 at 10:39:55

The only communication I want to see from the club when this season ends is not news that Coleman is norms in charge of collecting the cones after training or from Tarky saying that the players will learn and move forward or from the master of expectation management himself Moyes talking about how we were in the race for Europe until the final weeks. No, it’s a short statement as follows:

David Moyes has left the club with immediate effect. An announcement on his successor will be made in the coming days.

John Collins 14 Posted 18/05/2026 at 10:40:49

"What did we have on the bench yesterday, that could have changed the game, nothing."

Who spent £100 million plus to put that nothing on the bench John?

Mike Powell 15 Posted 18/05/2026 at 10:51:48

What we have learnt is most of them players are just not good enough, Tarky, O'Brien, Tim, Myko, Barry, Alcaraz, McNeil,just not good enough, add to that Gana and Coleman are past there sell by date,there is nine players at least who needs replacing,Do we think it will happen for we fuck

Jim Bennings 16 Posted 18/05/2026 at 10:54:41

One for the record books I suppose, but can anyone remember the last time that our final win of the season was in March?

We've always won the odd game in April or May as long as my memory stretches back, I can never ever remember Everton not winning at least one more game after March.

Tony Heron 17 Posted 18/05/2026 at 11:40:09

I can remember as a teenager and a regular at Goodison in the '60s that a home loss was a rarity. Now, it seems we lose more than we win.

I also remember being at a cup game against Coventry which of course we won, as back then we were considered a Top 6 team, part of the elite. I felt sorry for the Coventry fans and wondered how they could support a team that never wins anything.

I could never have imagined then that one day we would be in that position, and have fans who would think finishing mid-table would be success, and have a manager who thought a draw was an achievement.

Sad times.

19 Posted 18/05/2026 at 12:02:06

I've been saying for a very long time that David Moyes isn't a squad builder. But I think Anthony has started this thread explaining things a lot more precisely than I ever could.

Tired team, tired tactics... I actually began to realise why Dyche ended up going ultra defensive with that team because, when we open up and try to play, then gaps suddenly start appearing all over the park.

So much wrong, we need two fullbacks who want to join in; watching Mykolenko, tucking into midfield, like it was some kind of tactic, during the second half was completely baffling.

I know Arteta used to do it with another Ukrainian he had signed from Man City but I'm sure he was originally a midfielder, and was also playing for a team that usually manipulated possession.

We need our midfielders to play midfield and we need two central defenders who can get us higher up the pitch.

I learned nothing new because I am completely aware of the pros and cons of our manager. I felt very sad at times, looking around our fantastic new stadium, because I honestly believe we need a lot more.

My opinion is that our club is ready to fly again... but only if the people who make the big decisions are aware of this. That's why I felt so deflated yesterday; I honestly don't believe in many people connected to our once great club.

Geoff Williams 21 Posted 18/05/2026 at 12:04:15

I've now joined the general concensus that Moyes has to go. Recent performances have indicated that he is totally inflexible in his approach to tactics and team selections. His substitutions are always like for like and very predictable. Neither stiker is of Premiership standard but if he is going to play them at least try to play to what strengthe they do have. They can't play with their backs to goal and they very rarely win headers despite being well over 6 feet tall. The failure to buy two decent fullbacks and a proven goalscorer has shown the limits of the club's recruitment policy.