Everton 2 Sunderland 0: AT THE turn of the year Sunderland seemed the likeliest candidate for the sixth-placed finish that should ensure European football, but this was their fourth successive defeat and they have Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool still to play.

Six of their final seven fixtures are against teams in the bottom half of the table, however, but by then it might be too late.

The thoughts of Steve Bruce, who has just signed a contract that, if fulfilled, would see him managing Sunderland in 2014, did not extend to Europa League press conferences, but to the grittier task of maintaining Sunderland as a regular member of the Premier League, something they have never quite been.

“My brief was to make us an established Premier League club rather than the one that has been a yo-yo over the last few years,” he said.

“Everton, for instance, are one of those clubs we aspire to be. They have been in the Premier League since the year dot and I respect the manager and his team. They will finish in the top 10 again – there’s no question of that.”

At least David Moyes, who a fortnight ago at Bolton had appeared cloaked by terminal despair after a performance as supine as anything Sunderland produced here, could persuade himself that Mikel Arteta is finally showing some form.

“He has been a worry,” said the Everton manager after seeing the Basque set up the second of Jermaine Beckford’s goals. “We swam the Channel to keep Mikel because he is an integral part of this team. But his form has not been as good as it should be. We have seen glimmers and signs in the last few weeks.

“Maybe he felt he is the one who had to make us play. People think he has played safe, but I don’t. You talk about (Barcelona’s) Andres Iniesta – he made 98 passes against Arsenal and 94 were accurate. You have to keep the ball in midfield and Mikel can do that, and because we do not have that craft, we look to him to make the key passes. Here he looked much more like his old self.”

Guardian Service