Xhaka Goal Lifts Sunderland to Fourth

Granit Xhaka, a summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen, scored his first Sunderland goal — a shot that deflected off James Tarkowski 46 seconds into the second half — to earn a 1-1 draw at Everton and was named man of the match. Everton had taken the lead through Iliman Ndiaye’s stunning solo effort in the 15th minute, and Thierno Barry later missed a gilt-edged chance that could have sealed victory for the visitors. The point lifted promoted Sunderland to fourth on 18 points from 10 games, the best return for a newly promoted side at this stage since Hull City in 2008-09, and underlined the team's resilience; Sunderland have recovered more points from losing positions than any other Premier League side this season. Manager Régis Le Bris praised the squad's discipline and work rate after a sluggish start, while the match also marked David Moyes’s first return to the Stadium of Light since Sunderland’s 2017 relegation and saw Jordan Pickford face his boyhood club. Xhaka’s all-round display — creating chances and winning tackles — reinforced his early impact on an unbeaten-at-home Sunderland side exceeding preseason expectations.