Dan, like most Saints fans was extremely pleased by the result against the Toffee's, find out what he thought about the game here.
A superb result came for Southampton as they were the dominate side in every aspect of the game in a 4-1 smashing of a lacklustre Everton side who are still manager-less.
The headline of Pellegrino’s team selection was the handing of a place in the starting line-up to Charlie Austin, who hadn’t started in the league under the Argentine this season. Pierre Hojbjerg was another to be given a first start of the season as Oriol Romeu’s suspension and Mario Lemina’s injury left Pellegrino with little choice but to start the young Dane.
Saints could’ve taken the lead early on as Charlie Austin’s volley from a pinpoint Cedric Soares cross unfortunately hit the post.
Momentum continued to build for the hosts who were creating chances and kept most of the ball and eventually they took the lead as Ryan Bertrand found a lone Dusan Tadic in a one-on-one position. The Serbian stayed composed and coolly watched the ball go into the back of the net past Jordan Pickford. Tadic has received a lot of criticism of late so it’s a good sign to see him get a goal and also an assist has he looks to put poor performances behind him.
Chances were continued to be created as there was a penalty shout against Michael Keane as the ball hit the Everton defender’s arm and another when Sofiane Boufal was tripped by Idrissa Gueye, but the winger stayed on his feet. Virgil Van Dijk also could’ve found himself on the scoresheet as his header from a superb Ward-Prowse corner glanced just wide of the post after minimal contact with the ball.
Like plenty of other times this season, Saints rued their missed chances as Everton took their best chance of the game. Gyfli Sigurdsson, who was one of many players with big price tags bought by Everton in the summer, produced a fantastic effort from just outside of the 18-yard box which curled over Fraser Forster and in off of the crossbar. The Icelandic hadn’t yet scored a league goal for Everton until Sunday and it was rather predictable that he’d end his duck against a side that he’s scored against on a couple of recent occasions for Swansea.
After dominating the first half, Saints went out to prove that they deserved to be in the lead which is exactly what they did just seven minutes into the second half as Bertrand was once again influential as his cross was buried into the back of the net via a deflection off the crossbar from Charlie Austin’s header; once again the crossbar in front of the Chapel stand created some magic.
Before the hour mark it was 3-1 to Saints as Austin got his second header of the game from a similar position. After the ball deflected off of an Everton defender, Dusan Tadic did well to reach the ball and put in a fantastic cross for the striker to put Southampton in cruise control.
With very little threat from Everton and few clear-cut chances being created by Southampton, the game fizzled out a bit as neither goal keeper was to be tested leading up to the hosts fourth. A pass from Ward-Prowse found Steven Davis on the edge of the box who curled the ball beautifully into the back of the net past Pickford to make the captain Southampton’s joint-top goal scorer for the season!
On reflection, it was a much-needed win which can hopefully create some momentum over the next few weeks. I’m not really thinking about the midweek trip to Manchester City as a defeat by a few goals is most likely which won’t be down to a lack of quality from Saints but to an excess in it from Guardiola’s team and so the short trip to Bournemouth next Sunday really is a good chance to get six
points in one week! Despite the poorness of Everton, Saints really were superb and if they can produce more performances like that then there shan’t be any worries of relegation!