time to knockout Sunderland

By: 21 | December 28th, 2008

It will take a bit of time to get used to it but new manager Ricky Sbragia leads his Sunderland side into a sold-out Goodison today with Everton having a perfect opportunity to move level with fifth place Arsenal. Sitting three points behind the north-London club, Everton is in the midst of a three-match unbeaten streak that has seen them hand out losses to Manchester City and Middlesbrough and draw level against Chelsea, all the while not allowing a ball past Tim Howard.

David Moyes injury problems have improved and he will welcome Victor Anichebe back to the lineup however Leon Osman, Louis Saha and Joseph Yobo are still out. Given the continued spirited play of Dan Gosling, the eighteen year-old playmaker is expected to figure in the lineup again.

Assistant Manager Steve Round summed up the need for continued home support:

“The fans at the Chelsea game were unbelievable. They get behind us and they spur us on and when you play two games in three days, with the second game at home, the crowd becomes really important because they are the ones that give you that extra bit of energy.”

“The players can only really recover maybe 60 or 70 per cent of their energy levels but the crowd at Goodison can maybe give us that extra five or 10 per cent and that could be the difference that helps us beat Sunderland.”

“Over the last 12 games or so the recent form has been excellent. The togetherness in the team and the spirit has been excellent. The lads have taken everything on board and are performing to the maximum at the moment.

“Sunderland are going through a bit of a tough time at the moment. They bought a number of players at the start of the season and it’s going to take them a bit of time to settle in. But they’ll come to us with confidence. I think they’re a decent side and it will be difficult to beat them but we haven’t really got to worry too much about Sunderland or any other team, we just have to concentrate on playing the Everton way, playing with the same spirit and passion that we’ve shown recently and we’ll be fine.”