Everton, nestled menacingly in fifth place, two points off top spot, could have been forgiven for expecting three more at home against the league's bottom club. Ki Sung-Yeung's penalty, coupled with Tim Howard's sending-off, was the difference between two sides with very different ambitions for the new year. Everton have their eyes firmly fixed upwards, while Sunderland are peering fearfully over their shoulders at second-tier football. Don't let the result fool you - even, or arguably, especially, with ten men, Everton produced a heartening display that Sunderland's defence and particularly keeper Vito Mannone did well to weather. Roberto Martinez will perhaps wonder what might have been had he elected to start with the newly bald midfield maestro Ross Barkley, but with a testing visit of Southampton ahead the desire to rest key players would have been hard to resist. Sunderland, in contrast, will look back to Boxing Day with immense satisfaction, as they lie only three points from safety. Gus Poyet will be happy with that as he looks to strengthen a squad that has undoubtedly given him mightmares on his Premier League managerial bow. Between this, and the cup upset of Chelsea, he will have given the Wearside natives plenty of reason to back his regime.
I am from Bangor, aged 24, and possess an MA in Journalism from The University Of Ulster. I have had work published in the Belfast Telegraph and interviewed several local footballers and Olympic athletes. I also run my own sports blog, 'Sporting Thought' in addition to contributing to What Culture.
