Ronald Koeman made an unhappy return to St Mary’s as Charlie Austin’s winner after just 41 seconds consigned Everton to defeat against Southampton.
The Blues boss was making his first appearance back at Saints after joining the Toffees over the summer, but left empty-handed.
In all competitions this season Southampton boasted six wins and only one defeat at St Mary’s, with three games drawn, and the speed with which they came out of the blocks emphasised how comfortable they feel at home. The ball had ricocheted around the Everton penalty area dangerously before it came to Cedric wide on the right, hugging the touchline. Under no pressure, he was able to deliver a threatening cross which went over the head of the Everton captain, Phil Jagielka, and Seamus Coleman could do no more than direct the ball into the path of Josh Sims who set up Austin to finish from close range into a gaping goal, Maarten Stekelenburg unable to prevent his former side taking the lead after only 41 seconds.
The Toffees were struggling to find their feet, while the Saints were fleet of foot and solid in purpose. Stekelenburg came off his goalline to punch the ball clear in a crowded penalty area from a set-piece and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg caught the ball cleanly following up but, mercifully, his effort soared over the crossbar. The Saints continued to be devilish in attack, with Nathan Redmond combining with Ryan Bertrand and crossing with pinpoint accuracy for Sims in the box who cushioned his header too close to Stekelenburg but, from an Everton perspective, too close for comfort. Southampton were building up a head of steam.
Hojbjerg was at the heart of it again when he set up Austin for a shot that went straight at Stekelenburg before, finally, Everton showed some threat. Coleman advanced to the byline on the right and Idrissa Gana Gueye raced into the box at a rate of knots. Coleman’s cross was perfectly measured. Gana’s shot was not and blazed way over the crossbar, much to the relief of Fraser Forster. At least it was a genuine effort and should have been finished off.
The visitors provided something more for Southampton to think about after hard work from Yannick Bolaise to regain possession and good work by Ross Barkley before the Saints conceded a free kick. From wide on the left, Leighton Baines aimed for the back post and, unmarked, Gareth Barry might have done better with his header which went over the crossbar.
Cedric continued to push forward and another cross from the right by the Southampton full back was met by Hojbjerg who, straining to make contact, could not find the target with his header. At the other end Barkley should have hit the target with a header on the edge of the six-yard box from a cross by Bolasie, a genuine chance and Barkley knew it, holding his face in his hands as Gana had done following his miss. And Gana missed again when the ball was teed up on the edge of the area, the Senegalese bringing to a close a disappointing first half performance by the Blues, not for the first time this season.
It began ominously following the interval, too. From a corner kick for Southampton, the ball went straight across the face of goal to Austin at the back post where he drove his shot into the side netting. Sims had a shot from range saved by Stekelenburg before a slalom run by Gana was brought to a sudden halt by a foul by Oriol Romeu. If anything, it was just too close for Romelu Lukaku who took the free kick about two yards outside the penalty area, at the perfect angle for his left foot, and his shot sailed well over the bar.
There was further encouragement when Bolasie drove at the Southampton defence again, managed to get past Virgil Van Dijk and powered a shot that drifted wide of Forster’s goal. But it was not long before Everton hearts were in their mouths again when Cedric produced another masterful cross which was met by Austin’s header down and to Stekelenburg’s right side, yet somehow the big Dutchman managed to get down to keep the ball out, a save and a half. Austin could barely believe being denied by Stekelenburg’s brilliance.
The game was end-to-end now with Gana unleashing Barkley on the left with a quick ball, Barkley found Barry and when Coleman was released on the right his cross was met spectacularly by Bolasie whose overhead kick forced an outstanding save from Forster. Alas, referee Craig Pawson had already penalised Bolasie for a push. At the other end Jagielka had to produce a telling tackle on Van Dijk to deny the Dutchman and was fouled in the process.
Gerard Deulofeu replaced Aaron Lennon and Kevin Mirallas came on for Barkley just after Bolasie had produced another great effort from the edge of the area, firing in a shot that landed on the top of the net. Bolasie, by a distance Everton’s best player, was tripped by Hojbjerg and the subsequent free kick floated into the box by Baines yielded a corner. It came to nothing.
Then Sims soared forward and somehow the ball was turned away by Baines before Stekelenburg saved a long-range effort from Sims and the ball was scooped away on the rebound only as far as Austin who set up James Ward-Prowse and somehow again Southampton could not secure the finishing touch. There was better to come from Stekelenburg, another scarcely believable save from Ward-Prowse’s shot at the back post with Jagielka having to scamper back to clear off the line.
Coleman showed individual brilliance to release Mirallas on the right and Coleman, rampaging into the box, met his cross but the Irishman’s effort was blocked. The finish was frenetic with the two teams resembling heavyweights at the end of a brutal back-and-forth contest.
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