Sunderland under-23s resume their Premier League 2 campaign this weekend as Everton visit Wearside.
Fixture: Sunderland U23 v Everton U23
Location: Eppleton Colliery Welfare
Date and kick-off: Sunday 8 January, kick-off 12pm.
Competition: Premier League 2
How they line-up: Everton U23
League position: 1st
League wins: 8
League defeats: 2
League goals scored: 28
League goals conceded: 10
League form guide: LDWDW
Last time out in the Premier League 2: Everton U23 4-1 Leicester City U23 (evertonfc.com)
Everton Under-23s moved back to the top of the Premier League 2 table with an excellent 4-1 win over Leicester City on Monday evening. Callum Connolly nodded Everton ahead with his first goal of the season, only for the lead to be wiped out by Foxes winger Jeff Schlupp on 23 minutes. Two goals in quick succession at the start of the second half from Oumar Niasse and Harry Charsley then put David Unsworth’s side in firm control. Niasse tapped in from inside the six-yard box just moments after the restart before turning provider in the Toffees’ next attack, cutting the ball back for Charsley to steer in with a precise first-time effort. Courtney Duffus stepped off the bench late on to complete the scoring with a composed far-post finish. The victory sees Everton leapfrog Manchester City to occupy a two-point advantage at the summit of the standings after 12 fixtures.
Spotlight: Everton under-23 head coach David Unsworth
David Unsworth made over 300 appearances for the Toffees in two spells at the club, in between a stint at West Ham United, across 12 years. The 42-year-old scored 34 times in the Premier League for the Merseyside club, and was well known as a dead ball expert despite being a defender. After leaving Goodison Park, spells at Portsmouth, Ipswich Town, Sheffield United, Wigan Athletic, Burnley and Huddersfield Town followed before he called time on his playing career in 2009. Unsworth then turned to coaching as Preston North End's first-team coach and that was later followed by a return to his former side Sheffield United as head of academy. In 2014 the defender rejoined to his boyhood club Everton and became under-23s coach.
Key battle: Michael Ledger v Courtney Duffus
While Kieran Dowell has been one of the standout performers in the Toffee’s development squad, with five goals in just 12 appearances, Courtney Duffus has slipped under the radar. The towering centre-forward arrived at Everton alongside younger brother Tyrone in the summer of 2012. Previously at Cheltenham Town, Duffus helped Everton under-18s clinch the Premier League title in May 2014 and he has since become a regular with the club’s development side. Duffus has gone from strength to strength this campaign with an average of one goal every three matches (four in 12) this season. Duffus’ physical presence will undoubtedly cause Michael Ledger some defensive issues as the Toffees look to fend off Manchester City in the race for the title.
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