Everton have lost their final Premier League game of the season at Hill Dickinson Stadium, going down 2-1 to Sunderland.
Once again, Everton took the lead in the game, finding the net through Merlin Rohl.
Everton hadn’t played well though, and Sunderland stepped up their game in the second-half, and found two goals through Brian Brobbey and Enzo Le Fee.
How do you even sum that up? 😡
Everton end their home campaign on a whimper 😫
A cheap turnover of the ball by Jake O’Brien saw Brobbey get in and brush aside James Tarkowski before finishing.
A Sunderland move down the left then led to Le Fee’s winner, with Everton again defending poorly.
And then in injury-time, Wilson Isidor made it three, to boos from the Hill Dickinson faithful.
Everton’s hopes of playing European football next season are now over and here are a few takeaways from the game.
Jake O’Brien should have played centre-back
Moyes chose to keep Jake O’Brien at right-back today – and it was the wrong decision.
The Irishman failed to affect the play in the final third, and also made the mistake which led to Sunderland’s equaliser.
Sunderland had Brian Brobbey up top today, and his pace and power was always going to be a problem.
Surely, O’Brien would have been more effective in the middle, in place of either James Tarkowski of Michael Keane, neither of who have any recovery pace.
Merlin Rohl has arrived
Merlin Rohl scored his first goal for Everton today, albeit in fortuitous fashion.
But it was another good display from the youngster, and with each passing game it gets more and more baffling as to why David Moyes kept him on the bench for so long after the game he had against Aston Villa.
It goes without saying that he should start against Spurs, and next season Moyes needs to lean on him much more.
Iliman Ndiaye disappoints again
Everton needed their big guns to step up today, but Iliman Ndiaye was again found wanting.
The winger wasted more golden opportunities for the Toffees in the final third, and is currently on a run of just two goals in 20 games.
Which Everton player should not be started next week against Spurs? 😬
If Everton do miss out on Europe, unfortunately Ndiaye will have been a reason why, considering how many opportunities he’s spurned in recent weeks.
Ndiaye arguably could have done more for Sunderland’s second goal as well today, putting in a half-hearted attempt at a block.
Everton’s fragile mentality has cost them European football
The defeat means Everton have now gone six games without a win in the Premier League.
Everton were in such a great position after that win over Chelsea, but the club’s form has completely plummeted.
There have been some poor referring decisions, but Everton have no one to blame for missing out on European football but themselves.
Key players haven’t stepped up in the big moments, the Toffees have lost their defensive solidity, mistakes have been made and Moyes has also made a number of questionable calls and will rightly come in for criticism.
Angus Kinnear backed Moyes ahead of this game, and one wonders if the CEO might just regret his remarks – specially if Everton don’t beat Spurs on the final day.
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