Sunderland 1 Everton 1

The Boxing Day Premier League game between Sunderland and Everton at the Stadium of Light on Saturday Dec 26 2009.

Maroune Fellaini came to Everton manager David Moyes' rescue with a late equaliser that eased the Merseyside club's relegation worries.

Until Fellaini's dramatic intervention, Everton seemed poised to slip deeper into the relegation trouble after Sunderland were put on course for victory by Darren Bent's 11th goal this season.

The club that finished fifth-top of the Premier League last term seemed certain to be hovering just one places and one point above the top-flight drop zone until Fellaini cancelled out Bent's first-half opener to cap a spirited fight-back from Moyes team.

It meant there remains clear water between Everton and the bottom three with Moyes' side now seventh from bottom of the league following a morale-boosting revival.

Despite being without combative midfield talisman Lee Cattermole with a suspected hamstring injury, out-of-form Sunderland began brightly enough before a full house at the Stadium of Light.

However, an unmarked Bent wasted their best chance of translating a promising opening into early lead when he headed Andy Reid's free-kick wide from a favourable position as the Everton defence showed its first signs of vulnerability.

Everton finally got going and Leon Osman almost gave his side the lead when his curling +20-yard shot clipped Marton Fulop's right-hand post before Louis Saha twice sent efforts narrowly wide.

Thanks to Saha, Everton looked dangerous going forward but their defence looked fragile against Bent and Kenwyne Jones who combined to dazzling effect for Sunderland's opening goal.

Phil Bardsley set the ball rolling with a towards Bent who beat the half-hearted John Heitinga to nod the ball into Jones' path down the right wing and he curled in a delicious cross that presented his co-striker with the easiest if chance and he planted a firm downward header past Tim Howard.

Bent made the most of facing a depleted defence to bolster his own chances of winning an England place at the World Cup finals next summer.

The way Heitinga trailed in Bent's wake demonstrated how much Everton miss injured defenders Sylvain Distin, Phil Jagielka and Joseph Yobo and Moyes' team should have been further behind three minutes later when Jordan Henderson teed up Bent but Lucas Neill blocked his weak close-range side-footer.

It was John Mensah's turn to come to Sunderland's rescue after half-time when two superbly timed last-ditch challenge stopped Saha in his tracks as he set his sights on Fulop's goal before the Frenchman volleyed just wide after Leighton Baines' corner was flicked on.

Everton pushed their opponents on to the back foot but Howard was required to keep Sunderland within touching distance with a marvellous finger-tip save to push over Paulo da Silva's header following Reid's far-post free kick.

Sunderland defended more and more deeply and relied increasingly on counter-attacks as they played into Everton hands Steven Pienaar and Saha almost equalised in the c losing stages but the the visitors appeared to lack the finishing touch.

That was until Fellaini popped up in the box to lash a loose ball beyond Fulop in the 85th minutes after Sunderland's defence failed to clear a teasing cross from Tony Hibbert.

Sunderland have now gone six games without a win while Everton, now with just one victory in their last dozen outings, face a proverbial relegation six-pointer when Burnley visit Goodison Park on Monday.

Mid-table Sunderland, inspired by teenage midfield prodigy Jordan Henderson, on the other hand, should have stopped the rot and Steve Bruce must focus on cementing that top-ten finish club owner Ellis Short requires from his manager.