7M - 2026/5/17 22:00 Premier League Preview: Everton vs Sunderland - prediction, team news, lineups

Everton welcome Sunderland to Goodison Park on Sunday, May 17, 2026, for a high-stakes penultimate fixture of the Premier League season. While the Toffees are locked in a fierce battle to secure a top-six finish, the Black Cats arrive on Merseyside having already defied expectations by securing their top-flight status.

Recent Form and Standings

Everton enter this match with a record of 13 wins, 10 draws, and 13 losses from 36 outings. David Moyes' side has shown flashes of brilliance but struggled for consistency lately, following a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace and a narrow 2-1 defeat to West Ham. However, their record against teams in the bottom half remains reliable, yielding 30 points from their last 18 such encounters.

Sunderland have been the season's surprise package under Regis Le Bris, sitting on an even 12-12-12 record. After a heavy 5-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest earlier this month, they showed immense resilience to claim back-to-back draws against Wolves (1-1) and Manchester United (0-0). Their away matches have been notoriously low-scoring, with 16 of their last 18 road trips featuring under 3.5 goals.

Team News and Predicted Lineups

The hosts face a selection headache as both Iliman Ndiaye and Carlos Alcaraz are unavailable due to suspension. On a positive note, striker Beto is in the form of his life, having netted five goals in his last six appearances.

Sunderland will be without key defender Daniel Ballard, who missed the trip due to injury. All eyes will be on Nordi Mukiele, who has not only been solid at the back but has chipped in with two goals in his last six games.

Everton predicted lineup (4-2-3-1):
Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Gueye, Iroegbunam; Grealish, Dewsbury-Hall, McNeil; Beto.

Sunderland predicted lineup (4-3-3):
Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Reinildo; Xhaka, Le Fee, Sadiki; Talbi, Isidor, Brobbey.

Key Highlights and Pressure

Everton: The pressure is purely objective—European qualification. To clinch a top-six spot, they must find a way to sharpen a defense that has kept only two clean sheets in their last ten games. With Ndiaye out, the creative burden falls heavily on Jack Grealish to provide service for the clinical Beto.

Sunderland: With safety guaranteed, the Black Cats are playing for pride and a top-half finish. They have become specialists in the "grind," frustrating top-tier opponents with a compact mid-block. Their challenge will be maintaining focus for 90 minutes against an Everton side that averages 1.7 goals per game.

Match Prediction

Historically, this fixture is a tight affair; seven of the last ten meetings have seen fewer than 2.5 goals. Everton have the greater motivation, but Sunderland's recent defensive masterclass against Manchester United suggests they are far from "on the beach." Expect a physical battle where the points are shared.

Predicted Score: Everton 1-1 Sunderland