Everton vs Sunderland on Sunday May 17 is one of the most quietly compelling fixtures on the Premier League calendar this weekend. On paper, two mid-table clubs with nothing riding on the result. In context, this is the penultimate appearance of a Sunderland side that has spent their first season back in the Premier League in 27 years proving they belong there.
Sunderland | 27 Years Away, 48 Points Back
Sunderland were last in the Premier League in the 1996/97 season. Their path back to the top flight ran through League One and the Championship, via the viral Netflix documentary series that charted their rise, and through a fanbase that never stopped believing the club would return. The 2025/26 season has been their proof of concept. Twelve wins, twelve draws, twelve losses across 36 games, and 48 points, placing them 12th in England's top division.
Their best results tell the real story: a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford against Manchester United, and a 5-0 loss to Nottingham Forest that was their worst result of the season. The swing between those performances captures a promoted side still learning the pace and margin for error of the Premier League, but one that has clearly done enough to stay, assuming the squad is strengthened in the summer.
Everton | A New Ground, A Stable Season
Everton have settled into their second season at Bramley-Moore Dock, the waterfront stadium on the banks of the River Mersey that replaced Goodison Park as their home in 2024/25. The ground, with a capacity of 52,888, has become a fortress atmosphere the club was never quite able to generate at Goodison in their final years there. Tenth place on 49 points is a respectable mid-table finish, neither threatened by the relegation battle nor close enough to the European places to be a story on the final few weeks of the season.
Everton drew 3-3 with Manchester City in their most recent home fixture, a result that flatters them slightly but showcases the attacking capability they carry going forward. They beat Liverpool 2-1 earlier in the season in the Merseyside Derby, one of the season's marquee results for a club that has always measured its campaign against its nearest neighbour.
What This Match Means for Sunderland's Future
Sunderland's 48 points will almost certainly keep them in the Premier League without needing the final day result, barring a completely unprecedented final-week collapse from the sides below them. West Ham in 18th have 36 points with two games left. Sunderland are safe. But that number, 48 points, will be the benchmark against which next season's expectations are set. A club that achieves mid-table Premier League stability in its first season back in three decades has done something genuinely difficult.
For the full picture of the 2025/26 Premier League season and all ongoing coverage, visit the oWire Premier League hub. For the companion May 17 fixture between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fulham at Molineux, see our full preview. For a full overview of the league's history, see the Premier League history article.