Everton 3-0 Sunderland: Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts

Everton rather easily saw off a terrible Sunderland side in the Carabao (League) Cup today by a 3-0 scoreline. Young striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was the standout performer, scoring two goals and ringing a third off Jason Steele’s post.

Oumar Niasse, Ademola Lookman, and Aaron Lennon were all restored to the side on a day which won’t have completely assuaged the fears of Toffee supporters due to Sunderland’s lack of quality, but feels pretty good all the same.

• At least until January, DCL has to be Everton’s first choice number 9. There can be no debate. You can see it when he’s not scoring, and you can see it when he is - Calvert-Lewin now leads the Blues in goals this season.
• Calvert-Lewin was superb, but the story today is Oumar Niasse. After toiling away in the U23s, toiling away at Hull City, all without a single complaint, Ronald Koeman put him on for Sandro Ramirez in the second half.
  
  Niasse took his chance. The Senegal man received a ball into the area to Jason Steele’s right, took a deft touch off his chest, and fired the ball into the back of the net. Pandemonium, and well deserved. Welcome back, Oumar.
• Jonjoe Kenny received his first career Everton start (for the senior side), and acquitted himself fairly well. Nothing special, but the confidence and consistency already sets the youngster apart from Cuco Martina
• Granted, it was hard to truly tell via a radio-only broadcast, but all reports are that Muhamed Besic had a shockingly poor evening. Besic can be a good player, but in Idrissa Gueye’s role, not Morgan Schneiderlin’s.
• It was too bad that Jordan Pickford didn’t get a chance to face his old mates, especially since Maarten Stekelenburg hardly had a single thing to do in net.
• Sandro Ramirez provided a lovely assist for Calvert-Lewin’s second, but otherwise, both he and Davy Klaassen are still struggling to integrate. The talent is clearly there, but the two new boys need get moving.
• On the other hand, Nikola Vlasic might be a star. Clever in possession, excellent passing, and willing to harry his opponent, it’s clear why Koeman trusts the 19 year old already.

That, then, is job done. After a string of horrific results, Ronald Koeman’s Blues are back on track, and the problem at striker seems to have a tentative answer. Bournemouth awaits on the weekend, and Everton will be itching to get back at it.