“We messed up big time today”: Moyes rues Everton slump in damaging defeat to Sunderland | OneFootball

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David Moyes has said Everton ‘messed up big time’ after the club’s defeat to Sunderland.

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Everton's hopes for European qualification effectively ended with a costly 3-1 defeat to Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

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Merlin Röhl’s first Everton goal had given the Toffees the lead at the interval, but some disastrous defending allowed Sunderland to stage a second-half comeback.

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Brian Brobbey brought the Black Cats level after Jake O’Brien carelessly conceded possession with a poor touch, before Brobbey shrugged aside James Tarkowski to fire an equaliser through Jordan Pickford.

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Pickford ought to have done better with Sunderland’s second, as Enzo Le Fee’s shot squirmed past his outstretched hand, before a catalogue of calamities allowed Wilson Isidor to turn in a third for the visitors.

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A win would have put Everton level on points with Brentford in the final European place, but hopes of continental football are now surely over.

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Moyes believes the result showed that Everton are ‘probably not quite ready’ for Europe after blowing a big opportunity to remain in the race.

"We didn't look like a European team at times today, that's for sure. Things didn't go for us. We lost a poor first goal, got back in the game, looked more likely to score, then gave away a second goal. Tried to find our way back. Players have done an amazing job at times, but it wasn't there today," he said toSky Sports.

"If I look back maybe the last four or five games we've played quite well but not really got over the line. There's some poor decisions that have gone against us and Sunderland kept at their job and we didn't. They got the victory.

"We messed up big time today. Opportunity where if we'd won it things would be a lot different. We looked more likely at half time, didn't start the second half well but thought if anyone would score after that it would be us.

"Everton have not had the opportunity to get in the top end of the league table for a while. I'm more disappointed that they have missed that opportunity to keep pushing on. Today showed that we are probably not quite ready."

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