Match Information
Match Overview
Everton and Sunderland meet at Hill Dickinson Stadium on May 17 in a Regular Season - 37 Premier League fixture, with both teams occupying mid-table positions as the season nears its conclusion. Everton currently sit 10th in the table, two places ahead of 12th-placed Sunderland, making this a clash between sides who have likely secured their Premier League status for another season but will be eager to finish as high as possible.
The primary storyline heading into this encounter centers on contrasting recent form patterns. Everton have shown resilience in securing draws against quality opposition, managing to take points from Manchester City on May 4 in a thrilling 3-3 home encounter and earning a 2-2 draw away to Crystal Palace on May 10. However, their inability to convert competitive performances into victories remains a concern, with just one win in their last five league outings. Their recent sequence includes defeats to local rivals Liverpool and West Ham, suggesting defensive vulnerabilities that Sunderland may look to exploit.
Regis Le Bris will be particularly interested in his side's defensive solidity, having guided Sunderland to consecutive clean sheets in draws against Manchester United on May 9 and Wolves on May 2. These results followed a concerning 5-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest on April 24, highlighting the inconsistent nature of their campaign. The fact that Sunderland managed to frustrate Manchester United at home demonstrates their capacity to raise their game against stronger opposition.
With no injury concerns reported for either squad, both managers have full strength selections available. The head-to-head record this season shows two closely contested draws, with their January 10 meeting at Everton ending 1-1 and the November 3 encounter at Sunderland producing an identical scoreline. This pattern suggests another tight affair may be in prospect, with neither side holding a clear psychological advantage over the other in recent meetings.
Predicted Lineups
Everton
Pickford; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Iroegbunam, Garner; Röhl, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Beto
Sunderland
Roefs; Geertruida, Mukiele, Alderete, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Hume, Le Fée, Talbi; Brobbey
Team Form Analysis
Everton
League Position: 10Everton Form Analysis
Everton's recent Premier League form reveals a team capable of competing with top-level opposition but struggling to convert promising positions into victories. Their 3-3 draw with Manchester City on May 4 demonstrated their attacking potential, while the 2-2 result at Crystal Palace on May 10 showed character in securing a point on the road. However, these positive results are tempered by defeats to West Ham and Liverpool, matches where defensive frailties proved costly.
The Toffees have shown particular vulnerability away from home, losing at both West Ham and Liverpool while managing draws at Crystal Palace and Brentford. This inconsistency suggests tactical adjustments may be needed, particularly in defensive transitions. Their ability to score goals has been evident, finding the net in four of their last five league matches, but conceding multiple goals in the same fixtures highlights the need for better defensive organization.
The quality of recent opposition has been high, with encounters against Manchester City, Liverpool, and Crystal Palace providing stern tests. Everton's capacity to take points from City while losing to West Ham illustrates the unpredictable nature of their current form, suggesting they perform better when expectations are lower.
Sunderland
League Position: 12Sunderland Form Analysis
Sunderland's recent form under Regis Le Bris shows signs of defensive improvement following a devastating period. Their consecutive clean sheets against Manchester United and Wolves on May 9 and May 2 respectively represent a significant turnaround from the 5-0 home capitulation to Nottingham Forest on April 24. These shutout performances demonstrate the team's capacity to organize defensively against quality opposition.
The goalless draw with Manchester United at home was particularly encouraging, showing Sunderland's ability to frustrate one of the league's stronger attacking units. Similarly, securing a point at Wolves continued their recent trend of solid defensive displays. However, their attacking output during this period has been limited, managing just one goal across these recent fixtures.
The heavy defeat to Nottingham Forest remains a concerning outlier, but Le Bris appears to have addressed the defensive issues that led to that comprehensive loss. Their earlier victory over Tottenham on April 12 proved they possess the quality to beat established Premier League sides when performing at their peak. The challenge now is finding the right balance between their newfound defensive solidity and creating sufficient attacking threat to win matches rather than simply avoiding defeat.
Head-to-Head
Everton
Sunderland
Recent Meetings
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-10 | Everton | 1 - 1 | Sunderland |
| 2025-11-03 | Sunderland | 1 - 1 | Everton |
| 2017-09-20 | Everton | 3 - 0 | Sunderland |
| 2017-02-25 | Everton | 2 - 0 | Sunderland |
| 2016-09-12 | Sunderland | 0 - 3 | Everton |
| 2016-05-11 | Sunderland | 3 - 0 | Everton |
| 2015-11-01 | Everton | 6 - 2 | Sunderland |
| 2015-05-09 | Everton | 0 - 2 | Sunderland |
| 2014-11-09 | Sunderland | 1 - 1 | Everton |
| 2014-04-12 | Sunderland | 0 - 1 | Everton |
Memorable Matches
The recent meetings between these sides have been characterized by closely fought encounters, with both fixtures this season ending in 1-1 draws. Their January 10 meeting at Everton and the November 3 clash at Sunderland both followed similar patterns of competitive, evenly-matched contests where neither side could establish clear dominance.
Looking further back in their head-to-head history, Everton's 6-2 victory over Sunderland on November 1, 2015 stands out as the most memorable recent encounter between the clubs. This high-scoring affair demonstrated Everton's attacking capabilities when both teams were regular Premier League opponents. The comprehensive nature of that victory, coming at Goodison Park, highlighted the potential for these fixtures to produce entertaining, goal-laden spectacles when both teams commit to attacking play.
The pattern of recent encounters suggests these teams are well-matched in their current iterations, with tactical discipline often taking precedence over expansive attacking play. Both clubs will be hoping to break the recent deadlock trend and secure all three points in this latest meeting.
Venue Factor
Hill Dickinson Stadium provides Everton with the advantage of familiar surroundings as they look to improve their recent home form. Their last home fixture saw them secure an entertaining 3-3 draw with Manchester City on May 4, demonstrating their capacity to compete with elite opposition on home soil. However, they also suffered a disappointing 1-2 defeat to Liverpool at home on April 19, showing that home advantage alone cannot guarantee positive results.
Everton's supporters will be crucial in creating an atmosphere that can lift the team, particularly given the mid-table nature of this fixture where motivation might otherwise be lacking. The crowd's energy could prove decisive in what promises to be a closely contested encounter between two evenly-matched sides.
For Sunderland, their recent away form has been mixed, with the 1-1 draw at Wolves on May 2 representing a solid result on the road. However, their 4-3 defeat at Aston Villa on April 19 highlighted their vulnerability when facing attacking opposition away from home. Le Bris will need to ensure his side maintains the defensive discipline that served them well against Manchester United while finding ways to create attacking opportunities in an unfamiliar environment.
Injury Concerns
Everton
Sunderland
