11-minute hat trick for Lukaku; Everton beats Sunderland 3-0

They were his first Premier League goals in 12 games and could hardly have come at a better time as Koeman’s men extended their unbeaten start.

David Moyes will use Everton as his model as he attempts to build a bright new future at Sunderland. Their extraordinary defensive collapse does not bode well.

Romelu Lukaku ended a wait of 1,139 minutes for a competitive Everton goal by scoring a hat-trick in their 3-0 win away to Sunderland.

In May his predecessor, Sam Allardyce, was doing victory jigs on the pitch, pointing at delirious supporters.

The result moves Ronald Koeman’s side up to third on the Premier League table.

Everton started the second half as they had the first, creating a whole host of good goal-scoring chances in the opening 15 minutes of play. “But they have got a very good centre-forward in Lukaku”.

Sub Gerard Deulofeu led a swift Everton counter-attack before feeding Idrissa Gueye whose cross was met with a trademark header from Lukaku. Jermain Defoe had spurned a fine opportunity in the 10th minute, shooting over Maarten Stekelenburg’s crossbar.

After that things became a little scrappily haphazard for a time with Bolasie, ever menacing down the right, often looking a cut above those around him.

Since the Scot’s departure from Goodison Park in 2013, Moyes has endured a hard ten-month spell at Manchester United before being sacked, and lasted less than a year in La Liga with Real Sociedad.

Everton were happy to run the clock down for the remainder of a dreary second half. The winger replaced a disappointing Ross Barkley, whose imagination and incision looked to have deserted him.

Then Bolasie provided an assist, jinking left and right and exploiting Sunderland’s less than energetic pressing.

Moyes handed debuts to Ndong and Denayer moments later, but the damage was already done and all they could hope for was keeping the score down to three.

Shortly afterwards Wahbi Khazri, newly on for Gooch, conceded possession to Deulofeu who initiated a game-changing counterattack. Wahbi Khazri, nearly immediately after being subbed on for Lynden Gooch, feebly loses a 50/50 to Gerard Deulofeu, who orchestrates a resulting counter attack to find Lukaku virtually unmarked in the box as the cross is swung in.

The midfielder recently blamed former England boss Roy Hodgson for his omission last time out and Koeman insists he must take a look at himself.

Lukaku might have scored in the first minute but for some couragegous goalkeeping from Pickford. Lukaku needed no invitation to further punish Pickford with another thumping header.

Poor defending was to blame for all three of his goals. He got his third off a cool finish from a through-ball by Kevin Mirallas.