Sunderland's return to Monday Night Football, their first since 2016, produced a classic Premier League clash. Before kickoff, tributes for the late Sunderland super-fan Bradley Lowery rang around the Stadium of Light, and in an act of solidarity from Everton, their lead mascot was gifted to nine-year-old Sunderland fan Reuben, who had recently completed a two-year treatment for leukaemia.
The Stadium of Light pays tribute to Bradley Lowery before kick off
— Football Away Days (@footyawayday) November 3, 2025
"There's only one Bradley Lowery" and "cancer has no colours"
Love this by Sunderland this evening 👌❤️ #safc #efc pic.twitter.com/RUDBXVF6T1
Once the match kicked off, Everton wasted no time in testing Robin Roefs, with James Garner rocketing a volley just wide of the Sunderland net, mere seconds into the match. The Toffees continued in the same vein, mounting heavy pressure on the home side, with Illiman Ndiaye dancing through multiple Sunderland defenders before curling a beautiful shot past Roefs.
The referee was in hot water with the home crowd from the early stages of the match, with plenty of 50/50 calls not falling in their favour, including a questionable challenge on Noah Sadiki in the lead-up to the Everton goal. That animosity with the Mackem faithful bubbled over almost immediately, with Sadiki yet again on the wrong end of a tough challenge, before losing his head and diving in for a reckless challenge that resulted in a booking, with Nordi Mukiele also booked for dissent in the aftermath.
Everton kept kicking on from there, with a beautifully worked chance leading to a tantalising cross from Jack Grealish, only for Thierno Barry to send it sailing high over the post from point-blank range, a huge let-off for the Black Cats. Sunderland wrestled back some possession and brought momentum into half-time, however, needing answers in the second half.
Did they find an answer? Did they ever! 42 seconds into the second half, Le Fee set up Granit Xhaka in his wheelhouse, the edge of the box, to fire a low driven rocket on goal, deflecting off Tarkowski and onto the underside of the crossbar, past Jordan Pickford to level the score one a piece. Sunderland wrestled back momentum and the initiative to kick on and seek a winner in their undefeated fortress.
The second half raged on with Sunderland in firm command. Everton barely sniffed the ball and kept on surviving penalty shout after penalty shout, all waved away by referee Thomas Bramall and VAR and fairly so, bar one clear as day handball by Michael Keane, but to no avail. An exciting fixture, probably ending in a fair result for both sides of a 1-1 draw.
Match Ratings
Robin Roefs - 7/10
Hard to put any blame on Roefs, as that shot from Ndiaye was unstoppable. Only one other save to be made by the Dutchman, but that's due to Everton's lack of potency in the second half.
Reinildo - 7/10
Yet another solid performance from the Mozambique international, who was sorely missed while suspended from his red card against Aston Villa. Reinildo made six defensive contributions and completing 90% of his passes.
Lutsharel Geertruida - 7/10
Geertruida was a rock at centre-back on his second start for the Black Cats, making seven defensive contributions and completing 96% of his passes.
Dan Ballard - 7/10
Aesthetically speaking, it's amazing to see Dan Ballard back to his best. With ten defensive contributions, and the focal point of Mukiele's long throws, big Dan Ballard was giving Evertonians nightmares, even if it didn't lead to a goal contribution.
Nordi Mukiele - 6/10
The long throw master, Mukiele and Ballard are a brutal pairing for opposition defenders to deal with. Mukiele's yellow for dissent brings his rating down, even if the card itself was arguably undeserved.
Trai Hume - 6/10
Hume's yellow was deserved, and lucky to only be a yellow in all honesty. However, it was absolutely vintage Trai Hume, the spiritual successor on Wearside to Lee Cattermole and Kevin Ball, with his thunderous, authoritative tackles.
Granit Xhaka - 10/10
The best signing in the history of Sunderland Association Football Club.
Noah Sadiki - 7/10
Another victim of Thomas Bramall's lopsided whistle, but his card was thoroughly deserved and yet again, lucky it was only a yellow. Sadiki made 12, yes, 12, defensive contributions. The Earth is 71% covered in water, the rest is covered by Noah Sadiki.
Enzo Le Fee - 8/10
Still arguably not even being played in his best position, these days, Spiderman is making himself at home on the left flank. Two chances created, and the assist for Xhaka's equaliser. Great performance.
Your friendly neighbourhood Enzo 🕷️🤘 pic.twitter.com/2hKm2VacW4
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) September 26, 2025
Bertrand Traore - 7/10
Perhaps the least heralded of the deadline day signings, Traore is clocking in plenty of solid performances, even if they are yet to bear fruit. Four successful dribbles, a chance created, and a firm tick on the 'eye test' for the Burkina Faso winger.
Wilson Isidor - 6/10
It's hard to be rated highly as a striker if you don't score, and that's the case here for Isidor. Three shots, only one on target, and that shot could've been stopped by a mild breeze in the other direction. Isidor has had a mega season so far, but not his best performance today.
Substitutes
Brian Brobbey and Chemsdine Talbi came on for short cameos, but were unable to rekindle their Stamford Bridge added-time magic this time.
What's Next?
Sunderland next play on Saturday night, hosting league leaders Arsenal, in undoubtedly Sunderland's toughest test yet.
