EVERSTON’S £50M FLOP MAKES BARRY LOOK LIKE PRIME MESSI – “ABSOLUTELY ATROCIOUS” STAR MUST BE DROPPED FOREVER OR GOODISON WILL BURN!

It was very much a tale of two halves for Everton, who dominated proceedings at the Stadium of Light for large stretches of the opening period but failed to make that dominance count against Sunderland in their Premier League encounter.

In truth, the Toffees may not feel too aggrieved with a point on the road, yet manager David Moyes was visibly frustrated on the touchline as his side’s lack of cutting edge in attack once again cost them maximum points.

And, in keeping with a worrying theme this season, Thierno Barry failed to deliver as Everton’s leading man up front.

Thierno Barry’s ongoing struggles

Selecting a striker continues to be a dilemma for Moyes. Both Beto and Barry are strong, mobile forwards who offer energy and physicality, but neither has been able to convert that potential into consistent end product — the pair having scored just once between them in the Premier League this season.

Barry got the nod to start this match and looked bright initially, linking up well with the midfield and showing clever movement off the ball.

Yet when the crucial moment arrived, he squandered a golden opportunity to make it 2–0, blazing a close-range effort high over the bar. That miss proved costly.

The £27 million summer signing faded badly thereafter, mirroring his team’s drop in intensity, and was substituted before the hour mark.

His replacement, Beto, fared little better, finding himself isolated as Sunderland seized control and pushed hard for a winner that ultimately never came.

It all underlined a simple truth: Everton desperately need a reliable, clinical striker who can turn promising build-up play from the likes of Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish into goals.

But, of course, football is rarely that straightforward. A striker’s output often depends on the service behind him — and one of Moyes’ trusted midfielders endured a night to forget in that regard.

Dewsbury-Hall’s form fading

Everton’s wastefulness in attack has been compounded by a growing overreliance on their wide players to create chances. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, meanwhile, endured one of his more subdued outings.

Signed from Chelsea for around £28 million last summer, the 27-year-old has been a vital part of Moyes’ system, usually operating as the creative link behind the front line.

Industrious and technically adept, Dewsbury-Hall had made a strong start to the campaign but has recently struggled to maintain that level, registering just two chances created across his last three league games.

Against Sunderland, his passing was erratic, with several misplaced balls and overhit crosses.

Former Everton correspondent Ric George even remarked that the midfielder’s “passing is atrocious,” after watching another attack fizzle out in the final third.

While that assessment may be harsh, it reflects how far his influence waned during the contest.

There’s no questioning Dewsbury-Hall’s ability — his vision and energy remain assets — but Moyes may need to tweak his positioning.

Deploying him slightly deeper could help Everton build play more coherently, especially given Barry and Beto’s finishing issues.

Alternatively, creative wingers like Dwight McNeil or Tyler Dibling could be rotated centrally to inject fresh ideas.

Dewsbury-Hall did offer a glimpse of his quality with a late through ball for Beto, though that moment proved a rare highlight.

Liverpool World rated him 6/10, acknowledging a bright opening that faded quickly thereafter.

Better performances surely await the midfielder, but perhaps his immediate future lies deeper in the pitch — orchestrating from the centre rather than carrying the final-third burden alone.