Sunderland became the first visiting side to win a Premier League match at Goodison Park in 2013 this afternoon.
The only goal of the game arrived midway through the first half when Ki Sung-Yueng scored from the penalty spot after Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard had been red-carded for a foul on the South Korean midfielder.
Below, Sports Mole looks back over the contest to determine if the result was a fair one.
Match statistics:
Everton:
Shots 25
On target 9
Possession 55%
Corners 11
Fouls 11
Sunderland:
Shots 13
On target 6
Possession 45%
Corners 2
Fouls 7
Was the result fair?
The statistics above will tell you that Everton dominated large parts of the play and had plenty of shots at goal - surely they didn't deserve to lose this one, did they? The fact is, the majority of those efforts at goal came from outside of the penalty area, most of which Vito Mannone dealt with comfortably. Perhaps a draw may have been fair, but having got their goal, Sunderland defended well and there will not be many neutrals that begrudge them their victory.
Everton's performance
Even before Howard saw red, Everton were not at the races. Their passing, which has been so good this season, was lacklustre and often misplaced. What's more, the decision to rest Ross Barkley proved costly during the first half. It was understandable why Roberto Martinez opted not to start the youngster - what with a large number of games coming up - but he showed during the second half how much of a positive impact he has on the team. Had he been there from the start, the outcome may have been different.
Sunderland's performance
Such has been the work done by Gus Poyet since he took charge of Sunderland, it's not a big surprise when they keep a clean sheet these days. That's not to underestimate their work today, though, because they were well organised from front to back. After going in front they did drop deeper slightly, but they also had two very good chances to make sure of the spoils. The inexperienced centre-back pairing of Modibo Diakite and Valentin Roberge also deserve plenty of praise for a stubborn showing. If they can play that way against the sides around them, the Black Cats have a real chance of preserving their Premier League status.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Lee Cattermole: Goalscorer Ki shone during the first half, but when the battling qualities were needed after the restart, Cattermole came to the fore. Sunderland's combative midfielder threw himself in front of numerous shots, as well as making a handful of crucial tackles. When he had time on the ball, he didn't waste possession and more often than not picked out a teammate with a pass.
Biggest gaffe
Martinez instructs his players to go and collect possession from their goalkeeper, rather than rely on a hopeful punt up pitch. It looks great when it works, but when it goes wrong, it can have disastrous consequences. Just ask Leon Osman, who was caught on the ball 20 yards from his own goal by Ki after he had been picked out by Howard. From there, the Sunderland player moved into area, before being fouled by Howard. The result - a red card for the home stopper and a converted penalty for the away side.
Referee performance
There was one major call for Lee Probert to make today and you'd have to say that he got it right. There wasn't much contact between Howard and Ki, but there was enough to throw the Sunderland midfielder off balance. As a result, being the last man, Howard had to walk.
What next?
Everton: The Toffees are at home again on Sunday afternoon, with Southampton the visitors on that occasion.
Sunderland: Meanwhile, Sunderland are on the road for the second time in quick succession on Saturday when they make the trip to Cardiff City.
Liam Apicella
