Everton 1-0 Southampton: Richarlison hits winner for hosts

Richarlison scored his eleventh goal of the season with Gylfi Sigurdsson’s pass

Richarlison continued on good form as Everton kept their European ambitions on track by defeating struggling Southampton.

The Brazilian rounded out Fraser Forster and scored his fifth goal in as many games as Carlo Ancelotti’s side were tied with Liverpool and two points behind fourth-placed West Ham with one game in hand.

It was a welcome win for the hosts who fought at Goodison Park against a team from Southampton who clearly lacked confidence and form.

After Richarlison had put Gylfi Sigurdsson’s pass in the lead after nine minutes to open the standings, the set pieces looked most likely as neither side found a consistent rhythm.

But Michael Keane’s attempt was ruled out for offside, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed James Ward-Prowse’s free kick clear.

They had the best chances for the visitors in the end when Moussa Djenepo shot just past the far post after a promising play before Jordan Pickford saved from Jannik Vestergaard and Danny Ings kicked a post in frustration.

The defeat for the injured Saints was an eighth in nine games as they remain seven points from the relegation zone.

Allan’s return helps Everton end the bad home run

Everton’s season was an inconsistent affair with their home form, which turned out to be the biggest obstacle in an otherwise enterprising campaign.

The key to ending three straight league losses at Goodison Park, however, was the return of Brazilian midfielder Allan, who provided additional protection in a midfield that the defense often left open.

His first start since December 16 enabled Abdoulaye Doucoure and Andre Gomes to endorse Gylfi Sigurdsson at the helm of a midfield diamond.

The goal came from a long Pickford ball won midair by the irrepressible Calvert-Lewin. The English striker was a thorn in Southampton’s side and was able to take the lead in the absence of the injured James Rodriguez, who, according to Ancelotti, missed the game with a “really minor problem”.

Both Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison also helped defend when Everton thwarted Ward-Prowse’s dangerous set pieces.

Scoring a goal in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since December 2019, Richarlison could have contributed to his eleventh goal of the season when he nearly scored Sigurdsson’s free kick.

But when Southampton pressed for an equalizer, it was Everton’s defense that held on as Ancelotti avoided a fourth straight domestic league defeat for the first time in his career.

It wasn’t a pretty win, but it was a huge relief when Everton assistant Duncan Ferguson hit the air on the final whistle.

The battle of the saints continues

The Saints ‘alarming slump since the turn of the year was summed up by Ings’ frustration towards the end of this highly competitive game.

After beating Everton’s Merseyside rivals at Anfield on January 4, Hasenhuttl was sixth and tied with fourth Tottenham.

Since then, a single point from nine games has caused a decline to seven points above the drop zone, and while relegation seems unlikely, they look like a shadow of their former selves.

Known for their relentless press, visitors retreated to a lower position on a chilly night at Goodison Park and were picked up by the hosts’ more direct approach.

Fraser Forster was brought forward in goal to Alex McCarthy to reverse the sled, but one of the first actions for the English goalkeeper was to get the ball out of the net.

The visitors improved in the middle of the first half but were missing a punch forward despite Ings returning to attack alongside Che Adams.

But it wasn’t until the final stages that they really caused problems for Everton when Djenepo made Hasenhuttl hold his head when the winger missed the goal after a good game by Stuart Armstrong.

It looked like they might finally level when Djenepo’s shot was blocked by Mason Holgate and fell on Vestergaard, but he slipped at a crucial moment and a tame shot – Southampton’s first goal in 90 minutes – was brushed aside by Pickford pushed.

Richarlison among the best Brazilians in Europe

• Joao Pedro (30) and Neymar (19) have been the only Brazilians since the beginning of last season to have scored more goals in the top five European leagues than Everton’s Richarlison (18, on a par with Gabriel Jesus).
• Only against Manchester Utd (9) was Everton’s Gylfi Sigurdsson involved in more Premier League goals than against Southampton (7-5 ​​goals, 2 assists).
• Everton scored the fourth time in a Premier League game this season with the first shot of the game (also against Fulham in November, against Wolves in January and against Liverpool last time), with no more occasions in the competition this one Campaign (level with Man City).
• With 43 points, Everton has the highest number of points after 25 games in a Premier League season since 2013/14 (45 points) and is fifth in this campaign.
• Southampton have won just one point out of their last 27 in the Premier League (P9 W0 D1 L8) and lost five consecutive away games under Ronald Koeman for the first time since May 2015.
• James Ward-Prowse from Southampton competed for the 83rd time in a row in the Premier League, the longest run of any outfield player, only surpassed by Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel (102). Most recently, he missed a Saints league game (against West Ham) in December 2018.

What next?

Everton will travel to West Brom on Thursday March 4th (18:00 GMT) while Southampton will travel to Sheffield United on Saturday March 6th (15:00).

More will follow.

Player of the game

KeaneMichael Keane

Everton

1. Cadre number5PlayernameKeane

2. Cadre number7thPlayernameRicharlison

3. Cadre number10PlayernameG Sigurdsson

4. Cadre number9PlayernameCalvert-Lewin

5. Cadre number1PlayernamePickford

6. Cadre number22ndPlayernameGodfrey

7. Cadre number12PlayernameWorthy

8. Cadre number6thPlayernameAllan

9. Cadre number4thPlayernameHolgate

10. Cadre number21PlayernameAndré Gomes

11. Cadre number16PlayernameDoucouré

12. Cadre number17thPlayernameIwobi

13. Cadre number11Playernameking

Constellations

Everton

formation 4-3-1-2

1Pickford

4thHolgate5Keane22ndGodfrey12Worthy

16Doucouré6thAllan10G Sigurdsson

21André Gomes

9Calvert-Lewin7thRicharlison

• 1Pickford
• 4thHolgate
• 5Keane
• 22ndGodfrey
• 12Worthy
• 16Doucouré
• 6thAllan
• 10G Sigurdsson
• 21André GomesReplaced byIwobiat the 87 ‘protocol
• 9Calvert-Lewin
• 7thRicharlisonReplaced bykingat the 90 + 1 ‘protocol

replacement

• 11king
• 17thIwobi
• 18thNkounkou
• 20thBernard
• 31Neves Virginia
• 34Broadhead
• 38Astley
• 48John
• 62Onyango

Southampton

formation 4-4-2

44Ranger

35Bednarek4thVestergaard22ndSalisu3Bertrand

12Djenepo8thWard-Prowse17thArmstrong11Redmond

10Adams9Ings

• 44Ranger
• 35Bednarek
• 4thVestergaard
• 22ndSalisuReplaced byTellaat the 63 ‘protocolBooked at 80 minutes
• 3Bertrand
• 12Djenepo
• 8thWard-Prowse
• 17thArmstrongBooked at 77 minutes
• 11RedmondReplaced bywattat the 88 ‘protocol
• 10AdamsReplaced byN’Lunduluat the 77 ‘protocol
• 9Ings

replacement

• 1McCarthy
• 5Stephens
• 23Tella
• 31Ramsay
• 40N’Lundulu
• 47ferry
• 64Jankewitz
• 65watt
• 72Chauke

Live text

1. End of the game, Everton 1, Southampton 0.

2. The second half ends, Everton 1, Southampton 0.

3. Corner of Southampton. The corner was caused by Allan.

4. Attempt blocked. Danny Ings (Southampton) left footed shot from the center of the box is blocked.

5. Substitution, Everton. Joshua King replaces Richarlison.

6. Corner of Southampton. The corner was caused by Jordan Pickford.

7. Attempt saved. Jannik Vestergaard (Southampton) left footed shot from the center of the box is saved in the center of the box by the goalkeeper.

8. Attempt blocked. Stuart Armstrong (Southampton) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

9. Attempt blocked. Moussa Djenepo (Southampton) right footed shot from the center of the box is blocked.

10. Corner of Southampton. The corner was scored by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

11. Substitution, Southampton. Caleb Watts replaces Nathan Redmond.

12. Substitution, Everton. Alex Iwobi replaces André Gomes.

13. Missed attempt. Moussa Djenepo (Southampton) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Prepared by Stuart Armstrong.

14. Corner of Southampton. The corner was created by Lucas Digne.

15. Moussa Djenepo (Southampton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

16. Foul by Richarlison (Everton).

17. Jan Bednarek (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

18. Foul by Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton).

19. Nathan Tella (Southampton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

20. Stuart Armstrong (Southampton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.