Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris admitted that Everton made the stronger start to game in the 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light on Monday night.

Iliman Ndiaye capitalised on a frantic start to the game to give David Moyes' side a deserved lead after just 15 minutes. The Toffees could, and should have had a two goal cushion going in at the half-time interval but Thierno Barry squandered a golden opportunity at the back post, blazing high and wide with the goal at his mercy after a good ball in from Jack Grealish.

That miss seemed to spark Sunderland into life who ended the first-half the stronger of the two sides and came out the blocks quickly in the second 45 with Granit Xhaka equalising just a minute after the restart.

The Black Cats' skipper was head and shoulders above any other player on the pitch and fully deserving of his goal, even if it did take a wicked deflection on its way past Jordan Pickford in the Everton...