LIVERPOOL - Everton smashed seven goals past a woeful Sunderland to register their biggest win since 1996.
On this display Roy Keane's men are heading back to the Coca-Championship if they fail to do something about their horrendous defending.
The last time Everton hit seven was against Southampton 11 years ago and the Black Cats were put to the sword by a team now unbeaten in seven and on the crest of a wave in Europe and on the domestic front.
Ayegbeni Yakubu and Tim Cahill grabbed two each, with Steven Pienaar, substitute Andrew Johnson and Leon Osman completed the rout.
Sunderland's only bright spot was a first half injury-time goal from Dwight Yorke, but with defending as bad as this there was never much hope of a revival.
Everton left out full-back Tony Hibbert and had Mikel Arteta back in midfield, with Cahill recovered from a serious of minor injuries.
Sunderland had Carlos Edwards and Dean Whitehead returning from injury, along with Andrew Cole on the bench.
They are now without an away Premier League win in 18 attempts. Keane's men were tentative and on the back foot from the start and only a brave block from Paul McShane stopped Cahill scoring with a fierce six-yard volley.
Arteta had created the chance with a fine run and cross that mesmerised Ian Harte on the right.
Craig Gordon then saved low down to his right from Nuno Valente before McShane was not so fortunate with his next intervention.
The Republic of Ireland defender allowed the ball to elude him 40 yards out and Yakubu burst away.
The Nigerian's 12th-minute effort was firm and on target from 12 yards and although Danny Higginbotham got back to tackle the ball deflected up and over the stranded Gordon.
Five minutes later Harte was exposed by Arteta with a neat ball to Phil Neville and the Everton captain clipped a cross into the box for Cahill to control and fire home from six yards.
McShane then twice hurled himself in the way of Yakubu drives in quick succession before Sunderland finally threatened.
Edwards fired over a deep cross from the right, Tim Howard tried to palm it away but the ball fell for Grant Leadbitter to head into the side-netting.
To their credit, Sunderland were fighting back and Edwards on the right was a danger, while when the ball did reach the giant Kenwyne Jones he caused plenty of problems in the air.
But Everton were three ahead after 43 minutes. Valente and Pienaar combined down the left, with the Portuguese full-back pulling the ball back for Pienaar to lift into the top corner.
Sunderland still came forward and got one back in added time when Yorke fired home after determined work by Edwards and Jones in the box.
Dickson Etuhu and Yorke were replaced at the break by Danny Collins and Ross Wallace.
Both Michael Chopra and Wallace ,, twice, fired in long-range efforts that suggested Sunderland still had belief.
But any hope of a revival was ended after 62 minutes when Sunderland were undone again by awful defending.
Joseph Yobo's 60-yard ball down the middle of the pitch saw Cahill run in between Harte and McShane to drill the fourth past Gordon.
Chopra could have pulled one back a minute later but somehow he stabbed the ball over an empty net from six yards after Jones had caused problems in the box.
Three minutes later Chopra was replaced by Cole.
Gordon saved well with an out-stretched leg from Osman but could do nothing about Everton's fifth in the 73rd minute.
Arteta was allowed to stroll into the box before setting up Osman from 18 yards.
The ball thudded into a mass of defenders and Yakubu was quickest to spin and drill the ball past Gordon.
It was his last involvement as he and Cahill were taken off before the re-start to give Johnson his comeback and Victor Anichebe another chance to show his power up front.
In the 78th minute Sunderland were exposed again. Neville's long pace into space saw Johnson comfortably out-pace McShane before lifting the ball over Gordon for the sixth.
The seventh came when Osman ran through virtually unopposed to lift his effort past Gordon with six minutes remaining.
