Best at Sunderland? Maybe, but Everton are better off without Bryan Oviedo

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Sunderland are looking fairly doomed at the bottom of the Championship. The Black Cats were put to the sword at the Stadium of Light last night – losing 3-0 to Aston Villa. Former Sunderland loanee Lewis Grabban got the ball rolling before James Chester added Villa’s second. The third came via an own goal from Bryan Oviedo.

The Costa Rican was one of many players David Moyes knew from his Everton days that he took to Sunderland when in charge. He joined the Black Cats in a joint deal with Darron Gibson reported by Sky Sports to be worth £7.5 million. There have been times this season when Everton fans might have wished the left-back was still at the club.

The perennial back-up to Leighton Baines would have seen plenty of action this season, with the veteran defender spending much of the campaign in the treatment room.

Instead Everton have struggled on with Cuco Martina at left-back. A limited player, the Curacao international has done his best in the role and has earned some respect from the Everton fans.

To be honest, he is doing as a good or even better a job than what Oviedo would have done.

The 28-year-old has impressed in an attacking sense for Sunderland and, has perhaps been the struggling side’s best player this season.

Yet defensively he is often found wanting. When it comes to whipping in a cross with his left-foot, Oviedo can certainly be dangerous but positioning in a defensive sense is a different story. There was not much he could do about the own goal v Villa but it highlights once again that Oviedo is not much use in the defensive end of the field.

As far as Everton are concerned, they are better off with Martina doing the best he can then they would be with the Sunderland defender filling in for club legend Baines.