Sunderland 0-2 Everton
Goals from Pienaar and Fellaini leave the Black Cats still facing a nervy end to the season.
Sunderland welcomed Everton to the Stadium of Light hoping for the win that would ease their relegation fears.
Ricky Sbragia made three changes for the game recalling Steed Malbranque, Dean Whitehead and Grant Leadbitter to his side.
The visitors, meanwhile welcomed Jo back into the starting line-up with Joleon Lescott replacing the unfortunate Phil Jagielka and Lars Jacobsen coming in for Tony Hibbert.
Yet both sides struggled to create many chances in a first-half devoid of goalscoring opportunities.
Everton went close early on with a Tim Cahill header from a corner which Sunderland stopper Martin Fulop managed to punch clear before Jo spurned a good opportunity by shooting wide after some decent interplay by the Toffees.
Whilst Everton were looking good on the ball and the more likely of the teams to open the scoring, Sunderland were surprisingly lacking urgency despite their dire league position.
Djibril Cisse managed to feed Kenwyne Jones early on but he shot over before Jones set up Leadbetter but he fired wide and that was as good as it got for the home side in the first half.
Yet it took only minutes for the deadlock to be broken at the start of the second-half and it was the visitors who went ahead.
Phil Neville found Jo with his back to goal and he teed up Steven Pienaar who wandered into the box, holding off the attentions of Phil Bardsley, before slotting past Fulop.
Yet the Black Cats responded immediately winning a succession of corners, the second of which saw Collins planting a firm header straight at American Tim Howard.
However, Everton remained a threat at the other end with Gosling crossing for Cahill on the hour mark, but the Australian was denied by a great clearing header by Bardsley.
With an equalizer not forthcoming, Sbragia opted to change things, sending on David Healy for Cisse, much to the delight of a noisy home support.
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And within minutes Sunderland might have been level with Kieran Richardson sending a left-footed free-kick over the wall, but into the grateful arms of Howard.
Yet Everton continued to threaten and with 20 minutes to go they doubled their lead to put the game out of the home side’s reach.
The impressive Pienaar raced down the right flank before sending in a perfectly weighted cross for Marouane Fellaini to sweep past Fulop.
Sunderland pressed in the closing stages but couldn’t find a way past Howard and boos round out around the Stadium of Light at the final whistle.
The home side remain four points clear of the drop zone with only three games left to play whilst Everton leapfrog Aston Villa, who play tomorrow, into fifth place.
Sunderland: Fulop, Bardsley, Davenport, Ferdinand, Collins, Malbranque (Edwards, 83), Whitehead, Leadbitter, Richardson, Cisse (Healy, 63), Jones.
Everton: Howard, Jacobsen (Rodwell, 74), Lescott, Yobo, Baines, Gosling (Castillo, 86), Neville, Fellaini, Pienaar, Cahill, Jo (Saha, 81).
GOALS
0-2 Everton (Fellaini, 71)
0-1 Everton (Pienaar, 47)
Goals from Pienaar and Fellaini leave the Black Cats still facing a nervy end to the season.
Sunderland welcomed Everton to the Stadium of Light hoping for the win that would ease their relegation fears.
Ricky Sbragia made three changes for the game recalling Steed Malbranque, Dean Whitehead and Grant Leadbitter to his side.
The visitors, meanwhile welcomed Jo back into the starting line-up with Joleon Lescott replacing the unfortunate Phil Jagielka and Lars Jacobsen coming in for Tony Hibbert.
Yet both sides struggled to create many chances in a first-half devoid of goalscoring opportunities.
Everton went close early on with a Tim Cahill header from a corner which Sunderland stopper Martin Fulop managed to punch clear before Jo spurned a good opportunity by shooting wide after some decent interplay by the Toffees.
Whilst Everton were looking good on the ball and the more likely of the teams to open the scoring, Sunderland were surprisingly lacking urgency despite their dire league position.
Djibril Cisse managed to feed Kenwyne Jones early on but he shot over before Jones set up Leadbetter but he fired wide and that was as good as it got for the home side in the first half.
Yet it took only minutes for the deadlock to be broken at the start of the second-half and it was the visitors who went ahead.
Phil Neville found Jo with his back to goal and he teed up Steven Pienaar who wandered into the box, holding off the attentions of Phil Bardsley, before slotting past Fulop.
Yet the Black Cats responded immediately winning a succession of corners, the second of which saw Collins planting a firm header straight at American Tim Howard.
However, Everton remained a threat at the other end with Gosling crossing for Cahill on the hour mark, but the Australian was denied by a great clearing header by Bardsley.
With an equalizer not forthcoming, Sbragia opted to change things, sending on David Healy for Cisse, much to the delight of a noisy home support.
Advertisement - article continues below »
Unlimited Game Downloads
And within minutes Sunderland might have been level with Kieran Richardson sending a left-footed free-kick over the wall, but into the grateful arms of Howard.
Yet Everton continued to threaten and with 20 minutes to go they doubled their lead to put the game out of the home side’s reach.
The impressive Pienaar raced down the right flank before sending in a perfectly weighted cross for Marouane Fellaini to sweep past Fulop.
Sunderland pressed in the closing stages but couldn’t find a way past Howard and boos round out around the Stadium of Light at the final whistle.
The home side remain four points clear of the drop zone with only three games left to play whilst Everton leapfrog Aston Villa, who play tomorrow, into fifth place.
Sunderland: Fulop, Bardsley, Davenport, Ferdinand, Collins, Malbranque (Edwards, 83), Whitehead, Leadbitter, Richardson, Cisse (Healy, 63), Jones.
Everton: Howard, Jacobsen (Rodwell, 74), Lescott, Yobo, Baines, Gosling (Castillo, 86), Neville, Fellaini, Pienaar, Cahill, Jo (Saha, 81).
GOALS
0-2 Everton (Fellaini, 71)
0-1 Everton (Pienaar, 47)
( Gill Clark / Goal )
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