Everton vs Sunderland: Premier League Clash at Hill Dickinson Stadium

Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool hosts a tense late-season Premier League meeting on 17 May 2026 as Everton welcome Sunderland. With two games left in the campaign, just one point separates the sides: Everton sit 10th on 49 points, Sunderland are 12th on 48. European qualification is out of reach and relegation is not an issue, but there is still a significant prize on offer – a top-half finish and the financial and sporting benefits that come with it.

Both teams arrive in similar overall shape in the league. Everton’s record in the league is 13 wins, 10 draws and 13 defeats from 36 games, with 46 goals scored and 46 conceded. Sunderland are almost a mirror image: 12 wins, 12 draws, 12 losses, with 37 scored and 46 conceded. The table tells the story of two mid-table sides who have largely cancelled each other out across the season.

Form and momentum

In the league, Everton’s recent form line reads “DDLLD”, underlining a stuttering run at a crucial stage. Across all phases this season they have been streaky: their longest winning and losing runs are both just two games, and their full-season form string mixes short bursts of victories with equally short dips. They have not managed to put together a sustained surge.

At home in the league, Everton have been inconsistent. In 18 matches they have six wins, five draws and seven defeats, scoring 25 and conceding 24. That 25-24 home goal record and a goal difference of exactly zero across all phases reflects a side that tends to be in tight games rather than blowouts. They have kept six home clean sheets but also failed to score four times, so the Goodison-era fortress aura has not fully translated to Hill Dickinson Stadium yet.

Sunderland’s league form line is “DDLLW”, suggesting they at least come into this with a win last time out after a run of draws and losses. Across all phases, they too have been patchy, with a longest winning streak of two and a longest losing streak of three. Away from home in the league they have four wins, six draws and eight defeats from 18, scoring 14 and conceding 27. The away goals-for average of 0.8 per game against 1.5 conceded underlines a cautious, often reactive approach on their travels that has not always worked.

Both teams have identical total goals against (46) and identical total clean sheets across all phases (11 each), but Sunderland have failed to score more often (13 times in total, compared to Everton’s 9). That hints at a slightly more fragile attacking output from the visitors, especially away from home.

Tactical tendencies

Everton have been relatively stable tactically. Their most-used shape is a 4-2-3-1, deployed in 21 matches, with only one outing in a 4-3-3. That double-pivot structure supports a balanced game: 1.3 goals for and 1.3 against per match across all phases, and a biggest home win of 3-0 balanced by a heaviest home defeat of 1-4. They can stretch teams when things click, but they are equally vulnerable when the defensive screen is compromised.

Sunderland are more tactically flexible. They have also favoured 4-2-3-1 (19 matches), but have alternated with 4-3-3 (5), 5-4-1 (5), 4-4-2 (3), 4-1-4-1 (3) and even 3-4-3 (1). That suggests a manager willing to tailor the game plan to the opponent and game state. Away from home, the poorer defensive numbers (27 conceded, biggest away defeat 3-0) show that the more conservative shapes have not always translated into solidity.

Discipline could be a factor. Everton’s yellow-card distribution spikes after half-time, with the 46-60 and 76-90 minute ranges particularly busy. Sunderland show a similar pattern, with a heavy concentration of yellows between 46-60 minutes. Sunderland also have three red cards across all phases, spread across the first half and late in games, while Everton have four, often in the closing stages. With J. Brooks in charge – the same referee who oversaw their FA Cup tie earlier in the season – game management and emotional control will be vital.

From the spot, both teams have been reliable this season: Everton have scored 2 of 2 penalties, Sunderland 4 of 4, with no recorded misses. Any penalty awarded on Sunday is likely to be converted.

Team news and selection issues

Everton’s preparation is complicated by a cluster of absences. J. Branthwaite (hamstring injury), J. Grealish (foot injury) and I. Gueye (injury) are all listed as “Missing Fixture” for this game. Losing Branthwaite affects their defensive stability and aerial presence, while Gueye’s absence removes an important component of that 4-2-3-1 midfield screen. Grealish’s injury deprives them of creativity and ball-carrying between the lines, which could blunt their attacking transitions.

Sunderland are without D. Ballard (red card) and R. Mundle (hamstring injury). Ballard’s suspension is a significant blow to their defensive structure, especially given their already fragile away defensive record. Mundle’s absence further limits their attacking rotation options, particularly out wide.

Squad depth and how each coach reshuffles will be central. Everton may have to adjust their back line and double pivot, potentially making them more cautious. Sunderland’s back four or back five, depending on the chosen system, will be missing a key central piece, which could encourage Everton to test them with crosses and set plays.

Head-to-head record

The recent competitive head-to-head history between these clubs is finely balanced, with five matches in the data:

• 10 January 2026, FA Cup Round of 64 at Hill Dickinson Stadium: Everton 1-1 Sunderland after 90 minutes, with Sunderland winning 0-3 on penalties.
• 3 November 2025, Premier League at Stadium of Light: Sunderland 1-1 Everton.
• 20 September 2017, League Cup 3rd Round at Goodison Park: Everton 3-0 Sunderland, Everton win.
• 25 February 2017, Premier League at Goodison Park: Everton 2-0 Sunderland, Everton win.
• 12 September 2016, Premier League at Stadium of Light: Sunderland 0-3 Everton, Everton win.

Excluding the penalty shootout outcome, the last five competitive meetings show three Everton wins and two draws in regular time. If the Cup tie’s penalty result is included as a Sunderland victory, then across those five matches Everton have three wins, Sunderland one, and there has been one draw after 90 minutes. Crucially, both meetings in the 2025–26 season have ended level after normal time, underlining how evenly matched they are right now.

Key battlegrounds

Given Sunderland’s modest away scoring rate and Everton’s missing defensive lynchpins, one key question is whether the visitors can exploit any unfamiliarity in the home back line. Sunderland’s biggest away win across all phases is 1-2, which fits with a pragmatic, counter-punching style. If they set up in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, transitions into the spaces behind Everton’s full-backs could be their best route to goal.

For Everton, the absence of Grealish puts more onus on whoever operates in the central attacking midfield band of the 4-2-3-1 to link play and supply the striker. Their biggest home win of 3-0 shows they can be ruthless when they get on top early. With Sunderland conceding 27 away league goals and having a heaviest away defeat of 3-0, sustained pressure and set-piece quality could tilt the balance.

Midfield control will be pivotal. Without Gueye, Everton may lose some ball-winning edge in front of their defence, potentially encouraging Sunderland to be braver in possession than their away numbers usually suggest. Conversely, Sunderland’s own defensive reshuffle without Ballard may make them reluctant to push too many bodies forward.

The verdict

The data points towards a tight, low-margin contest between two sides whose seasons have been defined by balance rather than extremes. Everton are marginally stronger at home than Sunderland are away, and historically in this fixture they have enjoyed the better of it, especially in Liverpool. However, Sunderland’s recent FA Cup success on this ground via penalties and their slightly better recent league momentum (“DDLLW” versus Everton’s “DDLLD”) suggest they will not be overawed.

Everton’s injuries in central areas could erode some of their structural advantages, while Sunderland’s defensive suspension may open up chances for the hosts. With both teams averaging around a goal for and a goal against per game, another draw would not be a surprise, but the combination of Sunderland’s away defensive record and Everton’s home scoring profile just nudges the probability towards the home side.

On balance, expect a cautious, tactically disciplined game, with Everton slightly favoured to edge it by a single goal, but with Sunderland well capable of taking a point if they execute their away game plan cleanly.