Everton produced a brilliant attacking display in their 7-1 win over Sunderland to register their biggest win in the Premiership in over a decade.

Tim Cahill and Yakubu scored two goals each on either side of half time while Steven Pienaar, Andrew Johnson and Leon Osman completed the rout to push Sunderland further into the relegation zone.

Everton took a deserved lead in the 12th minute latching on to a defensive mistake by Paul McShane to smash the ball over the head of Craig Gordon and into the net. Cahill doubled the lead five minutes later when he took control of Phil Neville's cross near the edge of the area before slotting the ball into the net.

Kenwyne Jones almost grabbed one back for Sunderland but his shot from 20 yards out flew inches wide of the target. That chance proved to be one of the very few bright spots for Sunderland in the first half as Everton scored a third in the 43rd minute through Pienaar who passed the ball into the net after a good link up play with Nuno Valente on the left wing.

Sunderland got one back on the stroke of half time when Yorke was played in by Carlos Edwards and the former Manchester United striker made no mistake from 12 yards out. The visitors looked to have stemmed the tide in the second half but were let down by some poor defending by McShane who was unable to reach a Joseph Yobo long ball, allowing Cahill to slide home the ball from close range.

Yakubu bagged his second of the game in the 73rd minute when he was first to react to a goalmouth scramble to score Everton's fifth of the night. Johnson and Osman scored one each in the final 10 minutes of the game to leave manager Roy Keane fuming on the sidelines.