Peter Reid suffered a Swede-bashing when he went back to Everton, and saw his
troubled season just get worst.
Everton deservedly won with a goal made in Sweden.
Scored by Jesper Blomqvist and created by countryman Niclas Alexandersson, it
eased the problems for Goodison Park chief Walter Smith and ended a run of five
successive league defeats.
It was Blomqvist's first goal since his Premiership comeback with Everton
after three years of injury.
And it was his first goal since scoring for Manchester United on this same
ground three and a half years ago.
For Reid, whose side were awful in the first half but battled back in the last
half hour in search of an equaliser, it was a bitter day on the ground where he
became an Everton legend.
Those calling for his head at the Stadium of Light were given plenty of
ammunition by a Sunderland performance that was limp and unconvincing until it
was far too late.
Kevin Campbell's involvement - a surprise and no doubt forced on Everton
because of Duncan Ferguson's absence with flu - was almost marked by a goal on
six minutes in a half that Everton dominated.
Sunderland were poor, lacking any midfield muscle and leaving Kevin Phillips
hopelessly isolated up front.
That early Campbell chance set the tone. Alexandersson's ball out to the right
sent youngster Tony Hibbert scampering away and his cross on the run was flicked
on for Blomqvist to angle a header back into the six yard box, where Campbell
lunged out a foot to deflect the ball just wide of the near post.
Alexandersson should also have scored six minutes later when David Unsworth's
swirling cross from the left cleared everyone for the Swede to somehow miss his
connection just beyond the far post.
Everton continued to be wasteful. A double chance went begging when
Alexandersson cut inside Stanislav Varga on the right and raced into the box,
only for Julio Arca to produced a fine saving tackle inside the six yard box.
The ball broke to Campbell, but instead of shooting instantly, the striker
delayed fractionally and somehow Bernt Haas managed an even better saving tackle
just a couple of yards out.
But Sunderland didn't survive much longer. Everton finally took the lead on 27
minutes. Scot Gemmill's ball wide sent Alexandersson away again into yards of
space and his measured cross was headed home by fellow countryman Blomqvist, who
beat Haas to the ball at the far post.
Gemmill had a piledriver saved by Thomas Sorensen, while the 'keeper and Varga
almost presented Paul Gascoigne with a clear chance as they managed to mess up a
clearance between them. Gascoigne stole the ball from the hapless centre back
but found himself forced wide by desperately recovering defenders.
You can only imagine what Reid thought of Sunderland's limp first half, but
the only change he made was to replace Arca with David Bellion, pushing him wide
on the right.
It wasn't long before Niall Quinn was thrown into the fray, a 56th minute
substitute for McAteer.
Alexandersson wasted another chance when he was allowed to get away to
jostling Michaal Gray to the floor before sprinting into the box but firing high
over.
Gary Naysmith was next up for a chance, winning possession in his own half and
surging away to drive over a shot that the fortunate Sorensen fumbled wide of
the far post.
Gascoigne, too, with a dipping 25 yarder, saw his effort fly inches over.
Quinn had been confined to the bench because of a back problem, but he was
finally thrown into the fray with half an hour left, and it sparked Sunderland's
first real attacking impact.
Sunderland reverted to type and hit everything long at the big Irishman and
Everton began to regret all those earlier missed chances.
Quinn set up Kevin Phillips for a close range chance late on, but despite a
late bombardment, Sunderland couldn't break Everton's resistance.
Teams
Everton: Simonsen, Hibbert, Stubbs, Weir, Unsworth,
Alexandersson (Cleland 85), Gemmill, Gascoigne, Naysmith,
Campbell, Blomqvist (Chadwick 83).
Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Tal, Moore.
Booked: Unsworth.
Goals: Blomqvist 27.
Sunderland: Sorensen, Haas, Craddock, Varga, Gray,
McAteer (Quinn 57), Thirlwell, McCann, Arca (Bellion 45),
Phillips, Kilbane.
Subs Not Used: Williams, McCartney, Macho.
Booked: Haas.
Att: 30,736
Ref: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).
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