Sunderland maintained their unbeaten Premier League record at the Stadium of Light after battling from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against Everton, who continue to struggle for form with just one win in eight matches across all competitions.
The visitors struck early through Iliman Ndiaye, who dispossessed Noah Sadiki before darting into the box and curling home a fine finish inside 15 minutes.
Everton nearly doubled their lead when Jack Grealish hit the post, but Sunderland rallied and came close themselves before half-time through Daniel Ballard’s effort, which was cleared off the line by Michael Keane.
The hosts equalised immediately after the restart when Granit Xhaka’s long-range strike deflected off James Tarkowski and in off the underside of the bar.
From there, Sunderland dominated possession and territory, while Everton barely threatened in the second half.
Though the Black Cats couldn’t find a winner, the result lifted them back into the Premier League’s top four and extended their unbeaten home start.
Everton, meanwhile, will need a swift response when they host Fulham on Saturday.
