The Australian international put the Toffees ahead after six minutes, making it seven Premiership goals from the midfielder this campaign.

Everton's Leighton Baines and Steven Pienaar combined down the left before the former crossed for Cahill who powered in a downward header from eight yards in trademark fashion.

The Black Cats, though, fresh from defeating Chelsea last weekend, responded through Danny Welbeck on 23 minutes after Boudewijn Zenden's lead-up work.

But Cahill almost restored the Toffees' advantage on 33 minutes when he timed his run to perfection to meet Baines' corner, only for his effort to saved off the line by Sunderland's Jordan Henderson before Lee Cattermole scrambled it clear.

Ten minutes into the second-half, Cahill had another chance cleared off the line when he lobbed Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon, but Michael Turner heroically launched himself as the ball appeared goalbound to deny the Aussie.

And on 70 minutes the Black Cats went ahead when Welbeck scored when he looped a header over Everton stopper Tim Howard.

But Everton replied on 83 minutes when Mikel Arteta's deflected effort found the back of the net, to give both sides a share of the spoils.