Live Reporting

Written by Ben Ramsdale, Craig Nelson and Tyrese King.

1. Postpublished at 08:48 GMT

   Sunderland 1-1 Everton

   Craig Nelson
   BBC Sport reporter

   Right, it’s time to talk Everton.

   It was all going so well at the Stadium of Light?

   What happened?

   Image source, Getty Images

2. Can Black Cats pass their Premier League test?published at 08:45 GMT

   Sunderland

   It’s best not to look too far ahead, Sunderland fans, but for those who can’t resist, here’s your next six fixtures:

   • 08 Nov: Arsenal (h)
   • 22 Nov: Fulham (a)
   • 29 Nov: Bournemouth (h)
   • 03 Dec: Liverpool (a)
   • 06 Dec: Man City (a)
   • 14 Dec: Newcastle (h)

3. Postpublished at 08:42 GMT

   Craig Nelson
   BBC Sport reporter

   With Granit Xhaka leading Sunderland on the pitch, and the impressive Regis Le Bris off it, the Black Cats look to be taking the Premier League in their stride.

   The majority of supporters who have been in touch this morning suggest that a top-10 finish would represent a fantastic season.

   Whether that is on the cards could well be determined by their upcoming fixtures, which are interesting, to say the least…

4. ‘Signing of the season?’ – pundits on Xhakapublished at 08:36 GMT

   Sunderland 1-1 Everton

   Image source, Getty Images

   Sunderland’s £17m swoop for Granit Xhaka as the “signing of the season”, according to former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.

   He believes the Swiss midfielder has brought experience, presence and stature to the heart of the Black Cats midfield,

   “Is there anyone in the Premier League having such an impact anywhere? Arguably not,” Carragher asked on Sky Sports before Monday’s draw with Everton.

   After the game, in which Xhaka was named man of the match, Carragher added: “He was excellent again, head and shoulders above almost anyone else on that pitch.”

   Former Sunderland defender Jonny Evans added: “He is the only one on the squad with real experience.

   “They can rely on him for anything. Also his performance level is excellent.”

5. get involved

   Get Involved – ‘Goal for this season was to stay up’published at 08:33 GMT

   Click ‘Get Involved’ at the top of this page to have your say

   Our priority going forward should be 38-40 points then anything after that is a bonus and see where we end up! Top 10 would be an incredible season but the goal for this season was to stay up.

   Luke

6. get involved

   Get Involved – Everton’s striking problempublished at 08:31 GMT

   Click ‘Get Involved’ at the top of this page to have your say

   Don’t worry Everton fans, we will be switching focus to your goalscoring problems soon.

   Feel free to get in touch using the Get Involved button at the top of this page if you want to vent.

   Last night’s match seemed to turn on Thierno Barry’s gilt-edged chance.

   The summer signing is yet to muster a shot on target – are you worried, or will the French youngster come good?

7. It makes me happy to score – Xhakapublished at 08:26 GMT

   Sunderland 1-1 Everton

   “I didn’t expect to come back after Germany but you never know where you land,” said Granit Xhaka on ending his two seasons at Bayer Leverkusen by sealing a summer move to Sunderland for a fee that could rise up to £17m.

   “To be back made me happy. I knew the project to bring experience and show the guys day by day.

   “It makes me happy to score a goal.”

   Image source, Getty Images

8. Granit from long rangepublished at 08:23 GMT

   Sunderland 1-1 Everton

   Granit Xhaka’s record reads one goal and three assists in 10 league games for Sunderland.

   Monday’s debut goal for the Black Cats was the 33-year-old’s 42nd of his career across five clubs – including Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Basel and Borussia Monchengladbach.

   Xhaka had 52 goal involvements – 23 goals and 29 assists – in 297 games for the Gunners.

   Half of his Premier League goals – nine of 18 – have come from outside the box.

   Image source, Getty Images

9. get involved

   Get Involved – ‘Top 10 position would be amazing’published at 08:19 GMT

   Click ‘Get Involved’ at the top of this page to have your say

   The signs are all positive, the aim for most fans was just enjoy being back in the Prem. It appears that we have a squad willing to work hard in and out of possession. A top 10 position would be amazing.

   Lee

10. Xhaka ‘sets the standards’ – Le Brispublished at 08:17 GMT

    Sunderland 1-1 Everton

    Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris on captain Granit Xhaka: “He’s really important because we have many young players and many new players in this league.

    “They don’t know the condition and one player like Granit, with his previous experiences, is really important for us. He has this quality to score.

    “I’m happy to have this kind of player. He wants to play football, he wants to be competitive, he’s always connected with the game and he sets the standards.”

    Image source, Getty Images

11. Granit the enforcer turns creator & goalscorer?published at 08:10 GMT

    Sunderland 1-1 Everton

    Image source, Getty Images

    Granit Xhaka has more reason than most to be excited about Saturday’s visit of league leaders Arsenal.

    The Swiss midfielder spent seven years playing at the Emirates before leaving for Bayer Leverkusen, where he won the German title under Xabi Alonso.

    Now 33, he is enjoying one of his best ever starts to a season in the Premier League after moving in the summer to promoted side Sunderland.

    Xhaka, who has been made captain, will have been recruited as a midfield enforcer, rather than a creator.

    Yet he prepared for the visit of his former club with a first goal for the Black Cats, to secure them a point against Everton, which followed three assists in the opening nine games of the season.

12. Postpublished at 08:07 GMT

    Craig Nelson
    BBC Sport reporter

    One measure of where Sunderland can go from here will come in their next fixture – at home to league leaders Arsenal.

    Victory would see Regis Le Bris’ side move to within four points of the Premier League’s early pacesetters.

13. ‘Energy, character, connections’ – Le Bris on Sunderland’s rise to fourthpublished at 08:01 GMT

    Sunderland 1-1 Everton

    Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris, when asked about his side’s stunning start to their Premier League return, said that it was much easier to get good results with good players.

    Le Bris added that his side’s character to come from behind to earn a point against Everton was a key factor in their rise to fourth place in the Premier League.

    The Black Cats have won more points from losing positions (eight) than any other team in the Premier League this season.

    “So far the team was always able to stay in the game – with energy, with character, with connections, with our ideas with and without the ball – so it’s a positive point,” he told BBC Sport.

    “In this league especially, with really strong players, they can change the momentum. If, after, bad vibes you struggle and give up it won’t be possible to be competitive in this league. That was the case again today.”

    On being in the top four, he added: “It’s too early in the season, but it’s still good to win points and be in that position.”

14. get involved

    Get Involved – ‘Staying in the Prem is priority number one’published at 07:58 GMT

    Click ‘Get Involved’ at the top of this page to have your say

    Sunderland must stay grounded. Staying in the Prem is priority one. They have a good foundation, but now need to invest in the squad and RLB needs to continue to have excellent backing. So pleased for Xhaka. He has found his love for football again. He deserves it after all his struggles in recent seasons.

    Daniel

    Surely a top-10 finish for Sunderland would be an incredible season compared to their expectations at the start.

    Clynt

15. get involved

    Get Involved – What can Sunderland achieve?published at 07:56 GMT

    Click ‘Get Involved’ at the top of this page to have your say

    We will throw this back to you Sunderland fans.

    The Opta predictions say the Black Cats’ most likely finishing position will be 14th. Would you be happy with that?

    How far do you think this side can go?

    Is just avoiding relegation a good campaign, or do you want more?

    Could a finish in the European places be possible?

    Get in touch using the Get Involved button at the top of this page.

16. Omens are good for Sunderlandpublished at 07:53 GMT

    Sunderland 1-1 Everton

    The Premier League omens are good for Sunderland.

    In the last two seasons, the three promoted clubs have been relegated.

    Play-off winners, like Sunderland, normally struggle the most to stay up, but here is the key stat:

    No promoted team has ever ended up going back down after picking up 18 points after 10 games.

    Opta’s latest predictions show the Black Cats still only have a 0.47% chance of finishing the season in fourth – the position they currently occupy.

    But the Supercomputer says their most likely final placing will be 14th (12.92%).

    

17. What’s next for Sunderland & Everton?published at 07:50 GMT

    Sunderland host leaders Arsenal on Saturday at 17:30 GMT. A win would narrow the gap to four points.

    Everton are at home to Fulham, who are one place behind them, at 15:00 that day.

    Then there is the third international break of the season.

18. Black Cats up to fourthpublished at 07:44 GMT

    Sunderland could have leapfrogged Liverpool and Manchester City to move up to second place in the Premier League table with a victory over Everton.

    But the promoted side will have to be content with fourth – a Champions League place – instead after battling back to claim a point.

    Everton, meanwhile, remain 14th, five points above the relegation zone.

    

19. Xhaka earns Sunderland draw against Evertonpublished at 07:37 GMT

    Sunderland 1-1 Everton

    Emlyn Begley
    BBC Sport reporter

    Granit Xhaka scored his first Sunderland goal as the Black Cats came from behind to draw with Everton and move up to fourth place in the Premier League.

    Everton started brightly and led through Iliman Ndiaye’s fine solo goal – picking the ball up on the right before beating several defenders and leaving the goalkeeper rooted to the spot.

    The Toffees were well on top, with Jack Grealish hitting the post, until Thierno Barry missed a sitter from three yards out in the 28th minute – and suddenly everything changed.

    Sunderland took control of the game.

    Xhaka scored their equaliser early in the second half with a deflected strike from 20 yards out after Enzo le Fee’s effort was blocked.

    The Black Cats had the game’s next 16 shots after that Barry miss – but could not find a winner.

20. Good morningpublished at 07:30 GMT

    Welcome to today’s live football news page.

    Stick with us for all the Premier League latest, starting with reaction to Monday night’s 1-1 draw between Sunderland and Everton at the Stadium of Light.

    We will also bring you updates from the Champions League, including all the top lines from the Manchester City and Chelsea news conferences this lunchtime, plus previews of tonight’s action.

    Image source, Getty Images