Football – England – Premier League
Saturday 12th April 2014 – Kickoff: 1507hrs
Bottom of the Premiership, Sunderland, will be keen to break a four match losing sequence when they host Everton at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon.
Sunderland were handed their fourth defeat on the trot at White Hart Lane on Monday night losing 1-5 to the hosts who, despite gifting the Black Cats the first goal of the evening, clicked into cruise control not long after and eventually ran out comfortable winners with a saluting Adebayor at the fore. Sunderland’s Premier League future now hangs by a thread and their immediate future looks a bleak one with the visit of an irrepressible Everton this afternoon.
Previous defeats against Norwich City, Liverpool and West Ham have left Sunderland bottom of the Premier League and despite having two games in hand over the teams around them at the bottom, it’s hard to see how they’ll break the relegation shackles.
Sunderland’s overall home record stands at 3-3-9 14/23 and scoring goals on home soil has also been a problem as they’ve scored just two from their last four home matches. It’s also just one win from their last nine and they’ve failed to score on five occasions.
Onto Everton now, and they were in supreme form against Arsenal last Sunday as they simply swept aside Arsene Wenger’s men with ease and played the best football I’ve ever seen from a Toffees side to boot. The passing and movement were slick and for much of the game Arsenal were chasing shadows. And yes, this was against Arsenal who are no slouches.
If Everton bring the same intensity to the Stadium of Light on Saturday (and with a Champions League qualifying place not just up for grabs but now a very real possibility), I can’t see Roberto Martinez’s men letting up here.
That’s now six wins on the trot for Everton while on their travels they hold an overall record of 6-6-4 20/18 and have won their last two back-to-back with victories at Newcastle United 3-0 and Fulham 3-1.
Sunderland’s lack of firepower has really cost them this season while Everton’s Lukaku is hitting his straps and continues to prove his point by consistently scoring in the Premiership. I just can’t see Sunderland stopping the Everton juggernaut this afternoon so I’ll back The Toffees for the straight win, perhaps 1-0.
Pick: Everton straight win @ 1.83 Ladbrokes
