Simon Grayson has challenged his players to bring winning ways back to Wearside when they host Cardiff City on Saturday (KO 3pm).
The Black Cats are yet to pick up a home win during the 2017-18 campaign, with their last SoL victory coming in December when Watford were beaten 1-0.
And speaking to safc.com, the Sunderland boss spoke of his determination to end that run of results without a home win.
“The team [at Everton] was always going to be selected with one eye on the weekend,” explained Grayson.
“Some players weren’t available, some needed a rest and others needed game time out there, and it was nice for Ethan Robson to make his debut and what a place to make it.”
He continued: “We wanted to try and win the game but we didn’t do that and now we’ll get back to the north east and prepare for the weekend.
“We want three points and we want to break that hoodoo of not having won at home for such a long time.
“It’s going to be a tough test against Cardiff City but if we get everyone firing and play with the tempo we can do, while also defending better than we have done tonight, then we’ve got a good chance of winning it.”
