Normal service has resumed at Southampton. If there was reason to be worried following five successive defeats, they showed no sign of panic during a ruthless attacking performance here which means they will spend Christmas in the top six. The closing minutes were played out to a chorus of “There’s only one Ronald Koeman”. Even during their rough patch, the sense of positivity which has engulfed St Mary’s since the Dutchman’s arrival never waned.
For Everton a quest for consistency remains. These are turning into worrying times and this was a desperately feeble showing. Roberto Martínez’s team have managed consecutive league victories only once and such unpredictability has not been well received, no matter how much emphasis the manager is placing on the Europa League.
There was a boldness in the way Koeman set his side up but it reaped handsome rewards. A midfield ravaged by injury and suspension meant a debut for the 19-year-old Harrison Reed and a switch to three centre-halves with Nathaniel Clyne and Ryan Bertrand acting as wing-backs, ensuring a fascinating duel with Everton’s attack-minded Seamus Coleman and Leighton Baines.
Reed acquitted himself well from the start up against Samuel Eto’o and, despite ceding a larger share of possession, it was Southampton who appeared the more likely to score despite failing to register a shot on target until Graziano Pellè made it 2-0 in the 65th minute.
Their opening opportunity to get at Everton arrived eight minutes in when Pellè’s interception set Shane Long away and having skipped past Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka appeared to be clean through before Distin recovered, challenged at the edge of the area and sent the Irishman tumbling.
The referee Jonathan Moss waved play on much to the disgust of the home support but a sense of injustice invigorated the home team and within two minutes they should have been in front when Clyne’s cross from the right was met by an unmarked Pellè. Eight yards out, however, his free header drifted over.
Everton huffed and puffed without causing the Southampton defence much trouble. They neatly spread the ball around midfield but there was a desperate lack of thrust in their lateral movements and they produced very little apart from a succession of corners midway through the half.
Instead the Pellè and Long combination continued to cause the visiting defence problems and the former had a goal ruled out on the half-hour after Long was correctly judged to have fouled Jagielka in the buildup. The whistle had already gone by the time the Italian’s strike found the bottom right corner.
The home support were further incensed by Moss nine minutes before half-time when Southampton were denied a blatant penalty after Jagielka kicked Long in mid-air. A corner was awarded to the disbelief of almost everyone but from the ensuing kick Jack Ward-Prowse’s delivery was met by Romelu Lukaku, who turned it into his own net under pressure from José Fonte.
Pellè found the side netting from a teasing Bertrand cross soon after but they were good value for the lead. Everton on the other hand continued to disappoint in the final third and Eto’o struck fresh air when in a promising position 12 minutes into the second half.
Southampton continued to break menacingly and there was an element of predictability about the second as Clyne’s cross from the right was knocked down by Long and Pellé was on hand to dab the ball past Tim Howard with his left boot.
In response a thumping effort from Lukaku was well saved by Fraser Forster 13 minutes from time before Maya Yoshida rounded things off with an unorthodox finish, shouldering in Steven Davis’s cross from the left. Koeman raised his hands in delight; an exasperated Martínez must have wanted to bury his head.
