Roy Keane praised Sunderland’s extraordinary season after the Black Cats produced a dramatic second-half comeback to defeat Everton 3-1 and keep their European ambitions alive.
Régis Le Bris’ side recovered from falling behind before producing another statement result in what has become one of the most surprising campaigns in the Premier League.
Everton initially took the lead late in the first half after Merlin Röhl’s effort deflected heavily off Granit Xhaka and looped beyond Robin Roefs.
However, Sunderland responded strongly after the break.
Brian Brobbey brought the visitors level after capitalising on defensive hesitation before Enzo Le Fée and Wilson Isidor completed the turnaround.
Roy Keane loved Sunderland’s response
Speaking during Sky Sports coverage, Keane praised both Sunderland’s mentality and Brobbey’s centre-forward qualities.
“The striker’s done brilliant for them all season. Old-fashioned striker, have some of that.”
The former Manchester United captain also highlighted how painful the result would feel for Everton and David Moyes.
“Great result for Sunderland, but David Moyes will be sore after that.”
Having followed Sunderland’s season closely, resilience has arguably become one of the defining characteristics of Le Bris’ side.
Repeatedly throughout the campaign, the Black Cats have shown an ability to recover from setbacks rather than disappear from matches.
Keane jokes about Jordan Pickford
One of the lighter moments of the post-match discussion arrived during analysis of Brobbey’s equalising goal.
Questions were raised around Everton’s defensive play and the goalkeeper’s contribution during the sequence.
Micah Richards questioned whether more could have been done, before Keane jokingly referenced Jordan Pickford’s long-established Sunderland connections.
“Maybe he’s just giving him a helping hand.”
Keane then returned quickly to praise Sunderland’s overall performance.
“Sunderland have been absolutely fantastic.”
| Everton vs Sunderland | Match details |
|---|---|
| Final score | Everton 1-3 Sunderland |
| Everton scorer | Merlin Röhl |
| Sunderland scorers | Brian Brobbey, Enzo Le Fée, Wilson Isidor |
| Venue | Hill Dickinson Stadium |
source: match data – 16 May 2026
Sunderland closing in on historic achievement
The victory leaves Sunderland firmly in contention for European football heading into the final day of the season.
Considering the club only returned to the Premier League through the play-offs last year, the scale of their progress has been remarkable.
From the closing weeks of Sunderland’s campaign, belief around the squad has visibly grown as results continued arriving against more established sides.
European qualification would represent one of the club’s biggest achievements in decades.
The Black Cats have not competed regularly on the continental stage since the 1970s, making the possibility even more significant.
Key Points
- Sunderland defeated Everton 3-1 after coming from behind
- Roy Keane praised Sunderland’s season
- Keane joked about Jordan Pickford during analysis
- Brian Brobbey scored Sunderland’s equaliser
- The Black Cats remain in contention for European qualification
What’s next
Sunderland head into the final day of the season with European qualification still possible after an extraordinary campaign under Régis Le Bris.
Everton, meanwhile, will look to recover after another disappointing result before ending their season.
Can Sunderland complete one of the Premier League’s biggest stories by reaching Europe?
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