Afternoon all. So, with only six Premier League matches being played yesterday, there are another four today. Here, we will be covering Everton's trip to Sunderland. Believe it or not, just two points separate these teams heading into this clash at the Stadium of Light.

Let's begin with some team news, though. First up, hosting Sunderland...

SUNDERLAND XI: Pantilimon, Vergini, Brown, O'Shea, Reveillere; Bridcutt, Larsson, Gomez, Johnson; Wickham, Fletcher

SUNDERLAND SUBS: Rodwell, Altidore, Mavrias, Graham, Buckley, Robson, Mannone

It's probably little surprise to learn that Gus Poyet has kept faith with Costel Pantilimon in goal at the expense of Vito Mannone, who remains on the bench. Elsewhere, Wes Brown has come into the defence to replace the injured Patrick van Aanholt, while there is also a starting role for Adam Johnson out wide. Up front, Steven Fletcher will be supported by Connor Wickham.

And now for visiting Everton...

EVERTON XI: Howard; Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines; Barry, McCarthy, Barkley, McGeady; Eto'o, Lukaku

EVERTON SUBS: Hibbert, Gibson, Naismith, Besic, Atsu, Osman, Robles

There are no major surprises from Everton boss Roberto Martinez, although many people may have expected Steven Naismith to start. As it is, Aiden McGeady will play out wide, while Samuel Eto'o and Romelu Lukaku will continue their partnership up front. At the back, veteran Slyvain Distin has replaced the injured Antolin Alcaraz at centre-back alongside Phil Jagielka.

Before we go any further, it's worth mentioning that it is a big day for one of the players on Sunderland's bench:

Tom Robson is squad number 34, making his first appearance in the #SAFC senior squad for a competitive game today pic.twitter.com/5HUM6b8ncC — Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) November 9, 2014

Robson is a midfielder that can also play at left-back if required to do so. He turned down advances from Fulham in the summer to sign a two-year deal at the Stadium of Light. It could well be big afternoon ahead for the youngster if he is called upon!

Right, what have the two managers been saying ahead of this encounter, then? Well, Poyet has challenged his Sunderland players to cope without the influence of suspended midfielder Lee Cattermole:

"It is a good opportunity for me to see the team without Lee Cattermole, because that's another thing we need to change.

"He has something the other players don't have - the intensity, the work, the desire and even sometimes pushing other players and making us play to the higher tempo we need. We need to see if we can find that single player, or a different way to play without him."

Meanwhile, in the Everton corner, Martinez has been full of praise for Sunderland:

© Getty Images

"The biggest threat to us on Sunday will be the level that Sunderland can show. As we saw on Monday, they got a very important win and are now in a completely different position to the one they were in two weeks ago," he told reporters.

"I know that this Sunderland team has an incredible character. Losing 8-0 is one thing but it's the reaction after that. They had a very positive performance in their very next game against Arsenal then they won at Crystal Palace. You have seen a Sunderland team that could match anyone. The way they finished last season, unless you have something special in the dressing room you don't achieve what they achieved."

Of course it's hard to talk about Sunderland and not mention the 8-0 hammering that they suffered at the hands of Southampton last month. Before that, though, it's worth remembering that the Wearsiders actually went four games unbeaten - taking six points from a possible 12. In the grand scheme of things - the Southampton horror show aside - it's not been an awful start to the campaign for Poyet's charges.

In fact, if they were to take all three points today, they would leap above Everton in the table.

VIDEO PREVIEW! Right, what do Sports Mole's experts Matt Law and Barney Corkhill think about this contest? You can hear their thoughts below:

PREDICTION: So, neither of the chaps can see Sunderland winning this one and I tend to agree, although I can see this ending in a draw. Both sides have found clean sheets hard to come by, so let's go for an entertaining 2-2 draw, with Lukaku and Fletcher getting among the goals for their teams.

And this statistic would suggest that it could end up being a tough afternoon for the home side:

2 - Sunderland won five of their first seven Premier League games against Everton, but have won two of the 19 meetings since. Sticky. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 9, 2014

Someone with a foot in both camps is former Scotland international Don Hutchison, who played for the two teams during his career. Speaking to Everton's official website, here is how he sees the game panning out:

"I think Everton will come out on top. Sunderland, despite their win against Palace this week, are low on confidence and not playing well. I think Everton should win the midfield battle, and that means Sunderland's defence could be exposed again on Sunday."

One potential advantage for Sunderland today is the fact that Everton played in the Europa League on Thursday night. In their three previous Premier League outings after their European commitments, the Toffees have lost twice and won just once. With such a small squad, it could well have an impact.

As has been the case at all Premier League grounds this weekend, respects will be paid before the match gets underway to those that have lost their lives in conflict on Remembrance Sunday:

The 2 Signal Regiment take position in the dug out. They're here today to form a guard of honour ahead of kick off pic.twitter.com/QCh5J9UU1M

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) November 9, 2014

Right, the players are now in the tunnel area and will be making their way out on to the pitch shortly. The silence will be first, then the action will get started.

Huge round of applause as the soldiers march around @StadiumOfLight pitch #RemembranceSunday pic.twitter.com/FhYGZlnKOi

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) November 9, 2014

KICKOFF! Hosting Sunderland get this Premier League encounter at the Stadium of Light off and running.

CHANCE! An almost immediate opening for Sunderland as Larsson sends a dangerous cross into the box for Wickham, who gets up well. However, his header ends up flying over the target. What a start that would have been for the Black Cats.

CHANCE! Meanwhile, up the other end, Everton strikers Lukaku and Eto'o show signs of a positive understanding, but the latter fires well wide of goal from the edge of the area. Nonetheless, it's been a bright start on Wearside.

CHANCE! It's raining chances at the Stadium of Light! Again Wickham shows his prowess in the air to meet a Larsson corner. On this occasion he has Howard in the Everton goal worried, but his headed effort lands on the roof of the net.

BOOKING! The first yellow card of the contest goes the way of Sunderland's Jordi Gomez for a trip on Barry.

It doesn't look good for Barry, who hasn't got up from that challenge from Gomez and the stretcher has been called for. It looks like an ankle injury for the veteran midfield and Martinez is bound to be hoping that it is not a serious injury.

EVERTON SUB: A sad sight as Barry leaves the field of play on a stretcher. He has been replaced by former Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson.

As far as ball possession is concerned, Everton are starting to control proceedings. They are keeping the ball well in defensive and midfield areas, but are yet to really release either Eto'o or Lukaku.

One route that has been profitable for Sunderland so far is down the left flank. Everton right-back Coleman loves to get forward, which is leaving space for Wickham to exploit. He's done that well so far, although a couple of his crosses have been easily collected by Howard.

Still Everton are dominating the possession and they did just fashion out an opening of sorts for Lukaku 20 yards from goal, but the big Belgian lashed his shot high, wide and not very handsome. After a bright start, this game is dwindling somewhat.

Sunderland's Fletcher has just had the ball in the Everton net with the most outrageous of flicked shots, but the whistle had been blown a second or two earlier for a foul committed by John O'Shea. That's a real shame that the goal couldn't stand because it was some effort from the Scot!

Here's a good summary of the contest so far from FourFourTwo:

#SAFC 0-0 #EFC http://t.co/nvFNNCSPmH EVE comfortable in possession but creating little. SUN targeting left side pic.twitter.com/XmRDQf1vtm

— Stats Zone (@StatsZone) November 9, 2014

CHANCE! A quick counter-attack from Everton sees Barkley move down the right and cross for Lukaku, who leaps well. However, he cannot get any power on his header and Pantilimon collects with ease.

BOOKING! It's now 1-1 in terms of bookings as McCarthy sees yellow for a poor challenge on Wickham.

Great work from Sunderland full-back Reveillere as he evades Coleman to send in a low cross from the left in the direction of Fletcher, but with the Scot lurking at the back post, Distin reacts quickly to hack clear the danger.

CHANCE! Close from Everton winger McGeady as the winger cuts in from the right flank and tries his luck from 25 yards out. Pantilimon is worried enough to dive at full stretch, but thankfully for him and Sunderland, the ball whistles past the upright.

Fantastic defending from Bridcutt stops Everton from taking a certain lead. A smart one-two between McGeady and Barkley leaves the latter with what seems a clear shot on goal from eight yards out, but Bridcutt throws himself in the way to block. Great work from the former Brighton man.

SAVE! All of a sudden, the intensity of this game has been cranked up a notch or two. After some pinball inside the Everton box, the ball breaks for Gomez. His shot is a low one, but Howard does well to get down to his right and push clear the danger.

That opportunity for Sunderland has livened them up in an attacking sense. They are now making the running and have Everton on the back-foot. Can they make it count before the break?

Bridcutt has had a very good game in a defensive sense, but he fails to carry that on further up the pitch as he fires wildly over the bar from 20 yards out.

As a result of that injury suffered by Barry, there will be four minutes of stoppage time at the end of this first half.

When Barkley is in full flow, he is a very tough player to stop. The attacking midfielder ghosted beyond Bridcutt, but when the opportunity arose to shoot, he let himself down as the ball flies wide. The shooting from both sides today has been poor.

We may not have seen any goals at the Stadium of Light, but it's certainly not been a bore-fest. Both sides have created some openings, but their finishing has let them down at crucial moments.

Sunderland boss Poyet is likely to be pretty content with what he has seen so far. His team have looked lively on occasions in the final third, but either the finish or decision-making has been lacking. At the other end, they've looked well organised and have largely restricted Everton to shots from distance. A special mention for Bridcutt, who has replaced the suspended Cattermole well.

As for Everton, they have dominated the possession, but Martinez will probably be unhappy at the lack of clear cut chances that have been created. Barkley has been quiet, but when he has got on the ball, he has caused problems. Nevertheless, if they step up the pace during the second half, they will fancy their chances of taking all three points back to Merseyside.

Here is a fair summation from former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson, who has been speaking to BBC Sport:

It's been intriguing but not it's not been great. Everton have shaded it in terms of possession and quality, but if it carries on like this we're unlikely to get a goal in the second half. Hopefully I'm wrong.

"All Sunderland's good play has come down their left flank. With Adam Johnson on the right you would have thought there would have been more coming from that wing, but Johnson's been quiet."

RESTART! Visiting Everton, who will attack from left to right in the second half, get proceedings back underway at the Stadium of Light.

INJURY UPDATE! The word on Barry is that he has been taken to hospital for an x-ray. The injury has been sustained just above his ankle, which would suggest that the physios may feel that he has broken his leg. Let's hope not.

SAVES! Good work from Sunderland keeper Pantilimon at the start of this second half. First he does well to hold Barkley's curling effort, then he spreads himself bravely to deny Lukaku, who was through on goal. He saved Bridcutt's blushes there because it was a huge error from the Sunderland midfielder that released Lukaku.

I mentioned that Everton lacked some intensity during the first half, but they've stepped up the pace since the restart. Baines and Coleman were rarely getting forward, but now both are moving into the Sunderland half and are posing threats. The away side are dominating, that's for sure.

POST! Everton really are moving through the gears at a rapid rate now. Eto'o pokes a pass through for Lukaku, who speeds past Vergini. He goes for goal despite the narrow angle, which forces Pantilimon into making a save, before the ball cannons behind for a corner off the post.

BOOKING! Some much needed restbite for Sunderland as Everton midfielder McGeady goes into the book for pulling back Larsson on the halfway line.

SUNDERLAND SUB: It's game over for Johnson, who was anonymous for most of his time on the pitch. For someone of his undoubted talent, you expect much, much more. Anyway, he's been replaced by Buckley.

All the chances in this half have been created by Everton, yet it's Sunderland who break the deadlock. Buckley makes an immediate impact as he is brought down by Baines 25 yards from goal. Larsson steps up to take the resultant free-kick, which he curls into the top left-hand corner of Howard's net. The Everton keeper is furious with the players in the wall, which did seem to split rather easily. Sunderland don't care mind you as the Stadium of Light erupts!

That goal has lifted the ground, that's for sure. The home supporters are in fine voice now and their team is responding with a series of attacks.

EVERTON SUB: In need of a goal, Martinez turns to Naismith, who has taken the place of McGeady.

He may have missed from 12 yards against Man United recently, but Baines makes no mistake today. The penalty is awarded after Wickham lunges in on Coleman and referee Lee Mason has little hesitation in pointing to the spot, despite protests from the Sunderland players. Up steps Baines and he drills his effort low and underneath a diving Pantilimon, who guessed the correct way and will feel that he should have perhaps done a little better there. Game on.

Looking at the replays of that challenge from Wickham, he can have little complaint. He did end up getting some of the ball, but not before he had slid through Coleman. A penalty was the right decision, although you try telling that to the Sunderland fans - they are not happy with the referee!

SUNDERLAND SUB: Another alteration for the home side as Gomez trudges off and is replaced by former Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell.

Here's more from Mark Lawrenson, again on BBC Sport: "The Sunderland crowd are not happy and it's transferring to some of the players. They are playing in a scatty way at the moment and are making some poor decisions. They need to wind themselves in a little bit. Just for next 10 minutes you think: 'Don't concede another goal.'"

EVERTON SUB: Final change of the afternoon for the away side as Leon Osman takes Barkley's place in midfield.

There will be four minutes of stoppage time at the end of this clash. Will we have a winner?

OFF THE LINE! It looks for all the world that Brown has won the match for Sunderland when his powerful downward header beats Howard, but from nowhere a retreating McCarthy hacks the ball off the line. Great defending from the midfielder.

There goes the final whistle on what was an entertaining 1-1 draw between these two sides at the Stadium of Light. You'd have to say that on the balance of play, a draw was the right result.

Thanks for joining us this afternoon and be sure to stick with Sports Mole over the course of the afternoon for reaction, analysis and player ratings. Until next time, goodbye.