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Everton‘s Phil Jagielka fires home early goal to see off Southampton Everton‘s Phil Jagielka fires home early goal to see off Southampton
(about 5 hours later)
The Champions League always appeared an optimistic prize for Southampton and it may have slipped out of reach at Goodison Park. Everton’s narrow victory – their first over a top eight team this season – left Ronald Koeman’s team with an eight-point gap to overhaul in the race for a top-four finish and, not for the first time this season, left the Dutchman ruing a lack of cutting edge within his ranks. The Champions League always was an optimistic prize for Southampton and may have slipped out of reach. Everton’s hard-fought, slender victory – their first over a top-eight team this season – prompted the latest lament from Ronald Koeman over the lack of cutting edge and creativity within his ranks. His sights have lowered as a consequence.
Southampton carried the game to Roberto Martínez’s team throughout, and Tim Howard had to be in fine form to nullify their early threat, although Everton impressed with their work-rate and organisation as they took another step closer to safety with a third consecutive Premier League win, their first such hat-trick of the season. Aaron Lennon, Ross Barkley and particularly Phil Jagielka, pitted against Italy international Graziano Pellè for the second time in five days, typified the industry and commitment of the home side. “You never know, everyone has difficult games to play, but it is not realistic at this moment to think about the top-four positions,” the Southampton manager said. “It is more realistic to think about the Europa League, although the Europa League for us is like the Champions League to Arsenal and Manchester United. That is the difference.”
Related: Arsenal 4-1 Liverpool | Premier League match report The difference here was a finishing touch. Phil Jagielka had one, indeed the England international’s performance had everything that Roberto Martínez’s team required from a captain, and Southampton did not. They took the game to Everton throughout and Tim Howard had to be in fine form to nullify a threat that evaporated after half-time, although the home side’s work-rate, tenacity and defensive organisation impressed.
At times Everton resembled the away team such was their reliance on the counterattack as the European hopefuls controlled possession. This was a most un-Martínez-like win. Not that Goodison had many complaints on that score with Romelu Lukaku sidelined by a hamstring injury and Darron Gibson facing a spell on the sidelines with a broken metatarsal. Aaron Lennon, Ross Barkley and, particularly, Jagielka, pitted against Italy international Graziano Pellè for the second time in five days, typified a committed display that gave Everton a third consecutive Premier League win for the first time this season. This was a most un-Martínez-like win from Everton, who resembled the away team at times with their willingness to sit back, absorb pressure and hit Southampton on the counter-attack. Not that Goodison had many complaints with Romelu Lukaku sidelined by a hamstring injury, Darron Gibson facing a spell on the sidelines with a broken metatarsal and safety now beckoning.
Southampton made a determined start in their attempt to leapfrog Liverpool into fifth and it required a superb save from the Everton goalkeeper to deny Pellè from their first meaningful attack. Shane Long left Leighton Baines trailing as he sprinted down the right and crossed to the near post where the striker steered the ball over the back-peddling Howard. The US international readjusted his footing just in time to claw away Pellè’s effort on the line. Koeman said: “I am disappointed with the final result but not with the performance. We had some good chances in the first half but it was more difficult in the second. Everton dropped back more, they were very strong defensively, and it was difficult to create chances in the second half. Everton were at home but were defending the result. That was out of respect for us and it made it difficult.”
Howard made another fine reaction save later in the first half when James Ward-Prowse’s long-range drive appeared late through a crowded penalty area. The Southampton midfielder did leave the Everton keeper rooted to the spot with a free-kick from 25 yards but, fortunately for Everton, his shot sailed inches wide. Southampton made a determined start in their attempt to leapfrog Liverpool into fifth and it required a superb save from Howard to deny Pellè from their first meaningful attack. Shane Long left Leighton Baines trailing as he sprinted down the right and crossed to the near post where the striker steered the ball over the back-peddling Everton keeper. The US international readjusted his footing just in time to claw away Pellè’s effort on the line.
While the visitors’ attacking prowess kept Everton occupied, their defence offered them encouragement – especially from set-pieces or when Aroune Koné managed to bring Barkley, Leon Osman and Lennon into play. Kone, leading the line in the absence of Lukaku, drove Goodison to distraction with his poor distribution but his effort for the team could not be faulted. Howard made another fine reaction save when James Ward-Prowse’s long-range drive appeared late through a crowded penalty area. The Southampton midfielder did leave the keeper rooted to the spot with a free-kick from 25 yards but, fortunately for Everton, his shot sailed inches wide.
While the visitors’ attacking prowess kept Everton occupied, their defence offered them encouragement – especially from set-pieces or when Arouna Koné managed to bring Barkley, Leon Osman and Lennon into play. Koné, leading the line in the absence of Lukaku, drove the home crowd to distraction with his poor distribution but his industry could not be faulted.
Related: Manchester United 3-1 Aston Villa | Premier League match reportRelated: Manchester United 3-1 Aston Villa | Premier League match report
Ryan Bertrand produced a perfectly-timed challenge to prevent James McCarthy opening the scoring from the Ivory Coast forward’s neat pass into the penalty area. That interception instigated a series of Everton corners and from the third, from a Barkley shot deflected wide, Jagielka delivered the all-important breakthrough. Southampton’s defence failed to deal with Baines’s in-swinging delivery, Gareth Barry reacted quickest to the ensuing scramble to cut the ball back from the goalline and the Everton captain steered his shot beyond stand-in keeper Kelvin Davis from close range. Ryan Bertrand produced a perfectly timed challenge to prevent James McCarthy opening the scoring from the Ivory Coast forward’s neat pass into the penalty area. That interception instigated a series of corners and, from the third, Jagielka delivered the all-important breakthrough.
Jagielka headed over from another Baines’ corner before the interval, Koné and Osman also went close, but the second half was played predominantly in the Everton half as Southampton pressed for an equaliser. Martínez invited more pressure by replacing Barkley with another defensive-minded midfielder, Muhamed Besic, but possession did not translate into opportunity for the visitors. Their first chance of the second half did not arrive until the 78th minute when José Fonte swept Nathaniel Clyne’s pass over the bar from 12 yards. Southampton’s defence failed to deal with Baines’s in-swinging delivery, Gareth Barry reacted quickest to the ensuing scramble to cut the ball back from the by-line and the defender steered his shot beyond the stand-in keeper Kelvin Davis from close range. “The ball went in off my shin pad but who cares,” he said.
Martinez added: “We showed a lot of fight and character. We managed the game really well and showed we have learned our lessons from what has been a difficult season at times.”
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