Sunderland 2-0 Everton

	Phillips: Back on the mark in open play (TomShaw/Allsport)

Kevin Phillips marked the end of a ten-game nightmare - but it was a match that underlined just how much Sunderland rely on Niall Quinn.

The 34-year-old Quinn has soldiered on this season with a back problem, an injury he finally succumbed to last Tuesday as he was left on the bench for the Worthington Cup victory over Manchester United.

But he showed the benefit of that mini-break as Sunderland based their victory on the talented head and feet of their tall No.9.

Quinn was instrumental in the move that brought about the opening goal a minute before half-time, his knockdown causing confusion in the Everton defence that enabled Alex Rae to arrow a blistering drive into the top corner of Paul Gerrard's net.

After wasting several chances, Phillips was finally presented with an opportunity that was more difficult to miss and Sunderland were assured of their third straight Premiership win, lifting them into sixth place.

While the England striker was celebrating his first goal from open play since September 23, however, Quinn was rightly toasted as the man of the match.

David Weir and Michael Ball, Everton's centre backs, found Quinn a far more difficult opponent than the likes of Kanu, Dennis Bergkamp and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - all of whom had been on the losing side at Goodison in the past fortnight.

The Republic of Ireland striker gave Everton an early indication of the threat that he posed after two minutes when he lifted a lob against Gerrard's post.

The excellent Everton goalkeeper denied Quinn later in the first half but his defence offered him precious little protection as Sunderland steamrollered their way to victory in the second half.

Sunderland manager Peter Reid said: 'I'm not saying Niall's ready for the knacker's yard yet, but he's irreplaceable as a footballer and as a lad. When I signed him there were a few eyebrows raised among our supporters but we all know now what they think of him.

'Forget his aerial power. Some of his touches are absolutely outstanding but people tend to forget that because he's 6ft 4in. He's a cute and clever footballer, and if we can get a quality service into him he's very difficult to defend against.

'He's such an influential player that sometimes we want to hit him from too deep. But he and Kevin Phillips are a good partnership and they always create chances.

'Tore Andre Flo has just joined Rangers for £12million and Quinn's better than him - and Flo is an excellent player. Quinn was under-rated at Manchester City but his awareness and cuteness have improved with age.'

The half-time advantage slightly flattered Sunderland, who were fortunate that Israel winger Idan Tal's finishing did not match the neat approach play that presented him with two chances in the wake of Quinn's early near-miss.

Kevin Campbell also went close in the first half but Sunderland, protecting an unbeaten home record that stretches back to Easter Monday, were superb after the interval.

As well as turning Julio Arca's mishit shot beyond a prostrate Gerrard on 64 minutes, Phillips stabbed the ball wide after Quinn had hit an upright and saw the Everton goalkeeper make a magnificent save to turn another drive on to the woodwork as Sunderland threatened to run riot.

Reid said: 'We were a bit tentative in the first half but we had a chat at half-time and they did everything we asked them to do after that.

'Apart from a half-hour spell in the first half when Everton controlled it, we were very strong. Everton were at full stretch during the second half and we had numerous chances.'

The game brought Everton's three-match winning run to a shuddering halt and they could have no argument about the scoreline after succumbing to their powerful opponents.

The successive defeats of Arsenal and Chelsea were a distant memory during the second half as Sunderland picked their way through the threadbare Everton defence almost at will.

Had Everton not been without the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Francis Jeffers and Richard Gough, they might have been more resilient and certainly more dangerous going forward.

In the second half, though, Campbell was a spectator as Everton defended with increasing desperation to keep the margin of defeat down to two goals.

Everton manager Walter Smith said: 'We deserved what we got out of the game - nothing. We had a couple of chances that might have given us a bit of a lift and I don't think there was much between the sides in the first half.