Everton

Mike Richards
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Everton have ended the season in a manner befitting a side that had nothing to play for when, in reality, they had European qualification in the palm of their hand.

Sunday's capitulation at the hands of Sunderland was the latest example of how to throw away points to ensure a sour ending to a season that promised much.

There was a sense of inevitability of what was to come when the team was released. It was somewhat surprising that the manager continued with the same back four that had shipped 11 goals in the previous five games.

It felt cautious, it lacked imagination and was a large reason why the game trickled away from Everton.

They were out-ran, out-fought and presented a distinct lack of self-belief.

It probably highlights how much work there is to do to make the club competitive going into next season. Despite clear signs of progression and an elevated level of quality in some areas, a couple of key injuries and dip in form of a few, has been catastrophic for such a limited squad.

The most galling part of Sunday was how much the result impacted the send off for our captain Seamus Coleman. Swathes of empty seats greeted him as he re-emerged onto the Hill Dickinson pitch post match.

Although understandable, it was heart-breaking that so many didn't stick round to give our captain the reception and adulation he deserved.

Arguably one of our best players of the Premier League era, he represented us with the utmost professionalism and it is a travesty he never got to climb the famous Wembley steps and lift a trophy for the club.

The hope for the immediate future is that our recruitment team can pull out a few gems like Coleman. His attitude alone is something that desperately needs to be replicated and replaced.

Find more from Mike Richards at Unholy Trinity, external

Everton and Aston Villa are interested in Newcastle's 22-year-old Denmark forward William Osula. (The I, external)

Netherlands centre-back Lutsharel Geertruida, 25, on loan at Sunderland from RB Leipzig, is keen to continue playing in the Premier League next season amid interest from Everton. (Football Insider, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Everton and Sunderland.

Here are some of your comments:

Everton fans

David: Lacklustre, poor and we got what we deserved. That's on the players. Team selection and an inability to change or manage games is on Moyes. Stop picking our third and fourth choice centre-backs who concede two goals a game. Stop playing our second choice centre-back at right-back. He is not comfortable in that position? Start to play on the front foot instead of defending 0-0. I am Moyes out. The Friedkin Group should show some ambition and get Iraola.

Peter: The whole squad and management should apologise to Seamus Coleman for such an inept performance. If Mr Moyes thinks that a performance like that was nip and tuck he needs to take a look from my seat. O'Brien was gone after five minutes and many others looked exhausted. At half time subs needed to be made. Alcaraz, George, Patterson all would have injected pace and enthusiasm into a dire team performance! Back to the Moyes of old, I'm afraid.

Anne-Marie: A lacklustre effort from the beginning from a poor Everton team with careless passing throughout. The best effort and skill came from Dewsbury-Hall but Sunderland had control of the game throughout.

Ron: So disappointing for the last home game of the season, no spark in the team apart from Rohl and Garner.

Sunderland fans

Nigel: A great result but would be better not continually passing across the front of their own goal where they are prone to error. Reinildo was great and O'Nien was solid. Great goals late on as usual to clinch another three points!

Ray: Great second half. Aamazing season, manager of the year, team of the decade!!!

Peter: Sunderland were brilliant and if they could only add a killer touch to their play they would have won more comfortably. Luke O'Nien and Mukiele were solid at the back and Xhaka was superb again in midfield. If we can add a bit of quality to our front line, I think we'll be sure of another great season next year.

Craig: Some fans don't want us to get into Europe because we may not be ready. Forget that, let's do what we can to do and worry about being ready if we get there. Why would we turn Europe down?

Pundits Dion Dublin and Mark Schwarzer join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Friday's and Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Leeds 1-0 Burnley

• Brentford 2-2 Crystal Palace

• Newcastle 3-1 West Ham

Everton midfielder Merlin Rohl reacts to the Blues' 3-1 defeat by Sunderland at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

He also discusses scoring his first goal for the club after becoming the first German to score for the Toffees.

Listen to the full interview above or on BBC Sounds

Explore more on Everton here

Michael Emons
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

The talk before the game was about departing Everton captain Seamus Coleman, who has said he will not be playing for the club next season after 17 seasons there.

Republic of Ireland full-back Coleman, 37, joined as a 20-year-old for only £60,000 from Irish side Sligo Rovers in 2009 and has gone on to become Everton's leading appearance maker in the Premier League era.

He came on to a standing ovation as a substitute in the 88th minute for his 434th Toffees match, moving ahead of Dixie Dean and Leon Osman in 10th spot in the club's all-time appearances list.

However, he could not inspire an Everton recovery as Sunderland added a third goal three minutes later, with the Toffees dropping to 12th and with their own European hopes all but ended.

Coleman then was given a guard of honour after the match by his team-mates, although a large number of home supporters and all the away fans had already left the ground.

"I arrived here as a 20-year-old boy from Sligo Rovers, just hoping to impress enough to even make one appearance for Everton," said Coleman. "To go on and become captain and set a new club record for most Premier League appearances is something that back then was beyond my wildest dreams.

"After such a big decision to end my period as a player here, I will take some time to decide what comes next. The club and the manager have been brilliant with me and there is an opportunity to stay here in a coaching role, but I will take a break with my family, play the games for the Republic of Ireland over the summer and then decide what comes next for us."

Everton play at relegation-threatened Tottenham on the final day but would need a large win and a number of results to go their way to have any chance of European football.

Everton boss David Moyes speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Incredibly disappointed that we did lose. Spells in the game where it looks as if we would be the ones to get in front. Sunderland stuck at it, we didn't.

"The players know the moments and you have to take them. We haven't got over the line with games. Difficult to say today but in other games we've had a hard treatment with decisions but today was more to do with us not keeping control. We gave away a terrible first goal then we were better side at that point but they got away and got a second goal."

On first season at Hill Dickinson: "Lots of good stuff. But this just shows if you're not quite at it, better players not quite on it, you're not going to win. We need to add to it, we need to look at it. Results in the last four or five games haven't been good enough. Performances haven't been bad but our points tally not been good enough."

On Seamus Coleman: "Always wanted to let Seamus to have an opportunity to say goodbye to supporters here at home. He's been such a big, important player for us over so many years."

Did you know?

• Merlin Rohl is the very first German player to score for Everton in the Premier League and the newest nationality to strike for the Toffees in the competition since Guinea-Bissau's Beto in December 2023.

• Everton manager David Moyes has lost his last three Premier League meetings with his former sides.

• Everton have failed to win their last six Premier League games (D3 L3), with the Toffees last enduring a longer winless run in the top-flight between December 2023 – April 2024 under Sean Dyche (13).

Listen to more from Moyes with BBC Radio Merseyside here

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Everton's performance

What did you make of Sunderland's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Everton are unchanged from their last game, a 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace a week ago.

That means Seamus Coleman, who will be playing his last home game for the Toffees at the end of a 17-year spell with the club, is only among the substitutes.

Everton XI: Pickford, Mykolenko, Keane, Tarkowski, O'Brien, Garner, Iroegbunam, Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Rohl, Beto.

Subs: Travers, Patterson, Coleman, Dibling, Alcaraz, Armstrong, McNeil, Barry, George.

Sunderland make one change from the side that drew 0-0 at home to Manchester United on 9 May as Nilson Angulo comes in for Chemsdine Talbi, who is on the bench.

Sunderland XI: Roefs, Mandava, Alderete, Geertruida, Mukiele, Sadiki, Xhaka, Angulo, Le Fee, Hume, Brobbey.

Subs: Ellborg, Cirkin, Rigg, O'Nien, Diarra, Talbi, Mayenda, Isidor, Ta Bi.

There are six games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Manchester United v Nottingham Forest (12:30)

• Brentford v Crystal Palace - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Everton v Sunderland

• Leeds v Brighton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Wolves v Fulham

• Newcastle v West Ham (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-offs 15:00 unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Leeds v Brighton" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Newcastle v West Ham", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

These sides are both in mid-table, and they have both gone a few weeks without winning now.

Performance-wise, they have not been terrible, but their results have tailed off a bit.

Everton have shipped a few goals recently, though and I can see David Moyes wanting them to get back to keeping a clean sheet.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Former Everton captain Alan Stubbs believes Seamus Coleman is the "best Premier League buy ever" after signing for the club 17 years ago for just £60,000.

On Friday, the right-back announced his decision to end his playing career with the Toffees before considering a move elsewhere or a coaching role at the club.

Stubbs says what Coleman has done at is a "remarkable feat".

You can listen to the chat with Stubbs on BBC Radio Merseyside above and find more Everton audio here

Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist

Everton take on Sunderland in their final home game of the season with both sides still harbouring faint hopes of European qualification.

Everton's 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace last weekend felt like two points dropped instead of one point gained, not only because they led twice at Selhurst Park, but because they lost ground in the race for European qualification.

"It's amazing that we are actually talking about Everton possibly being in Europe with two games to go – and we're not out of it yet," said manager David Moyes last Sunday. "[But] it's getting tougher every game we're not winning."

The Toffees' last Premier League victory came almost two months ago at home against Chelsea and Moyes is right – their current run of five top-flight games without a win (D3, L2) could cost them a place in a continental competition next season.

The Blues have already surpassed last season's points tally of 48 and probably need to another six to that total if they are to stand a decent chance of securing European football at Hill Dickinson Stadium for the 2026-27 campaign.

Garner going the distance

Striker Beto may have scored five times in his past five games, but usual midfielder and occasional full-back James Garner has arguably been Everton's player of the season.

The 25-year-old was rewarded for his consistent performances with a first England call-up in March and still has a chance of making Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad.

Garner is one of six outfield players to start all 36 Premier League games this season and he also scored when Everton faced Sunderland in the FA Cup back in January.

Black Cats eye Europe

Like their opponents this weekend, European qualification is no longer in Sunderland's hands. However, they still have a very slim chance of reaching the Europa League or Europa Conference League but would almost certainly require maximum points from their final two games and other results go their way.

The Black Cats almost took all three points from their game against Manchester United last Saturday, and they were in the ascendancy for most of their fixture, but in the end they were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw.

"We probably created enough chances to win the game, but chances don't always mean goals," said head coach Regis Le Bris after that result. "If we're disappointed at home after a draw against [Manchester] United, it is a good sign for the club."

Bragging rights on the line

Europe aside, the opportunity to finish above Newcastle United provides further incentive for a strong end to the campaign.

It is a feat that the Wearside club last achieved in 2015-16 when their local rivals slipped into the Championship.

Sam Allardyce was in charge 10 years ago and his side sealed their Premier League survival and relegated both Norwich and Newcastle with a comprehensive 3-0 victory in their penultimate game. Their opponents that day where Everton.

Image source, Getty Images

A few months before Jordan Pickford made his England debut in 2017, he joined Everton from Sunderland for an initial £25m.

Later that summer, Wayne Rooney, who had left Everton in 2004 and won five Premier League titles and the Champions League during 13 years at Manchester United, returned to Goodison Park.

"There was a price tag on me when I was being bought - the most expensive British keeper - so there was that pressure," Pickford told his former team-mate on The Wayne Rooney Show. "I've always enjoyed the pressure and I knew I had to do something early to get the fans behind me.

"In your first game, we won 1-0 and you scored the header and I made a decent save in my first home Premier League game at Goodison, so I set myself off on a good stall."

Rooney was instantly impressed with Pickford's performances,

"At the time I thought, 'this could be Everton and England's number one goalkeeper for a long time'," he says.

Nine years later and Pickford is just that - and in October signed a new contract to keep him with the Toffees until 2029.

But since he joined, Everton have not finished higher than eighth in the Premier League and they are in danger of missing out on European football for an eighth successive season.

During the interview, Rooney asked Pickford about his decision to stay.

"I don't agree, but a lot of people say 'why haven't you moved on from Everton?'

"For you to be so loyal, to what you have been to the club, it's quite rare these days.

"With your ability, you can say: 'Well, do you want to go and play Champions League?' But you've stuck with Everton. Why is it?"

Pickford, who has been voted fans' Player of the Year in three of the past four years, says: "We've just got that that bond really... you know what it's like here, the people.

"The gaffer [David Moyes] calls it the 'People's Club'. The staff are brilliant and it's where we live and go to the games. We just love it, my family love it.

"We know Everton should be in the European spots, but we know how hard it's been over the last few years and a rollercoaster we've been on, but they've been nothing but good to me.

"They took a chance on me as a 22-year-old kid and, I've repaid them, and I just love being here. Goodison, great memories, and the new stadium, it is moving forward.

"When you came back, when I first signed, we were in the Europa League. So if we sustained that, those questions wouldn't happen: 'Why is England's number one at Everton?' But people don't realise how big a club Everton is.

"Everton's been too far away from silverware and we've not won anything for so long - that's what we need back."

Listen to The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sounds

Giulia Bould
BBC Radio Merseyside reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Seamus Coleman. A leader. A legend.

It would be hard for anyone to disagree with those words, even if the man himself does.

When making the BBC podcast series Everton: Nothing Will Be The Same, he told me he couldn't be classed as a club legend because he hadn't won a trophy. But his worth to the Toffees was so great it is a big reason they remain a Premier League side.

I saw first hand in the 2022-23 season just what the captain did to help ensure survival when Everton were swimming against the tide. That was the season Frank Lampard was sacked and Sean Dyche came in, just before a first PSR charge hit and the board no longer attended games. Most had Everton written off - but not Coleman.

Despite leaving the pitch on a stretcher against Leicester with four games left to save themselves, he continued to lead. Living in the city, he would be stopped by fans genuinely concerned about their club's future. He relayed all those messages and stories back to the dressing room before insisting to the players they couldn't be the ones to relegate Everton - his Everton.

The final game against Bournemouth at Goodison Park, he was in the dugout with his leg in a brace to do anything he could to help.

Coleman has dragged the Toffees over the line on more than one occasion and became famed for his leadership qualities, but it shouldn't be forgotten what an immensely talented player he was too. He could have left Everton for a club fighting it out for league titles, but his loyalty meant more to him.

It feels in more recent history there has never been a player that has fitted more. The bargain piece of "60 grand" feels the best piece of business given Coleman holds the club record for most Premier League appearances with 372.

Such is his own love for the club, along with Leighton Baines he went to David Moyes' house in January 2025 to tell him Everton needed him back as the manager.

Now offered the chance to join the coaching staff, he remains undecided. There is no doubt he would have no problem transferring his leadership skills into the dugout, but equally he could opt to return home to Ireland.

When the Goodison Park era closed last season, the defender told me: "Thankfully I got to make my Premier League debut as an Everton player."

He might disagree with me, but whatever Seamus Coleman decides next, he leaves Everton a legend.

Listen to Total Sport Merseyside from 18:00 on weeknights and find details here of live Everton match commentaries on BBC Radio Merseyside

Explore Everton content on BBC Sounds

On The Wayne Rooney Show this week, the former Everton and England striker sits down with Toffees goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

The pair discuss why Pickford hasn't moved on from the club, his last few years with the Toffees and Everton's leaders, among other topics.

Hit below above to listen to the full episode

Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Everton captain Seamus Coleman, who is ending his playing career with the club after 17 years this summer.

Here are some of your comments:

Helen: I can't imagine Everton without Seamus. Such a loyal servant and leader, which this club will never see the likes of again. Just hope he stays on as a coach. Working with the under-21s would be perfect for him. Thanks for everything, Seamie.

Duncan: David Moyes thinks Coleman's influence is very important to the club so it seems to make sense to have him now transition to the coaching staff. It's definitely time to retire. He's not managed a full game for years. He's had a great career though, and will always be in our hearts. He was £60K well spent!

Ian: Legend is a term used far too often about sportspeople. But not when talking about Seamus Coleman. What he has done not just for the football club but also for the wider community is beyond words. A total class act and an wonderful human being. Thank you, Seamus.

Neil: What a player and what a gentleman. An old-school footballer full of pride passion and loyalty - other players should learn from him. As a fan, I have always liked Seamus and what he stands for. A legend, not just at Everton but for football everywhere. We love you, Seamus, and we know you love us too.

Chris: What an incredible servant to Everton he has been. A phenomenal player, leader and captain who fully embraced the ethos of the club, channelled the passion of the fans and led by example so often. His raiding down the right side was often a joy to watch and we have missed that in recent years as age and injuries have caught up with him. I will forever remember that Swansea goal and the ridiculously tight-angled one against Leeds helping us in our difficult period. Whatever he decides to do next, he takes the love and respect of every Evertonian everywhere. As much as he supports the club, we will forever support him.

Andy: Fantastic servant for Everton. Always gave 100% and a magnificent person as well. The best £60,000 the club will EVER spend. He's been worth many, many multiples of that fee considering what he has given to the club over his 17 years. I hope the game situation against Sunderland allows him to get on the pitch for a few minutes to get the send-off he deserves from the home fans. Thank you, Seamus, and good luck for the future, whether that is as a coach with us or elsewhere.