2 November 2024
Southampton 1 Everton 0
Things are starting to look more desperate by the week at St Mary’s. With just one point from their first nine games, Russell Martin’s side are starting to fall out of touch of the sides above them. Everton were the visitors to the south coast and the hosts knew that nothing but victory would be acceptable if they had any hope of Premier League survival.
The game started in a feisty fashion. Pickford played a long pass into Calvert-Lewin, who was bundled over by the challenge from behind. Stupidly, the striker immediately dragged the ball in with his hands, assuming a free kick would be awarded. Instead he was penalised for handball. The Saints quick free kick was played into Archer who was scythed down by Tarkowski and shown a card for the challenge.
Moments later the Southampton striker had the first chance of the game as he struck a shot across the face of Pickford’s goal. It narrowly missed the far post with the Everton keeper beaten. The Toffees’ veteran defenders were struggling to cope with the pace of The Saints’ attackers. With the match still goalless, Sean Dyche will have felt that they were coping with the attacking threat still.
Everton had found some form in recent weeks but it was looking all too easy for the hosts to play through them. Armstrong fizzed a ball across the box and Pickford got the slightest of touches as he took it away from Manning at the back post. As the sides headed into the interval all square, Martin’s side had dominated the first-half.
The Saints recent defeat at Man City by a single goal scoreline had given them a glimmer of hope that they were not out of their depth in the top-flight. At St Mary’s Everton were making them look like a Premier League outfit even more. Not that any of this would be relevant unless the hosts were able to take all the points in this game.
Sean Dyche must have told his side some home truths during the break as they seemed to have more of a spring in their step when they came back out. Mangala tried his luck from the edge of the box and as the effort came through a sea of players, Ramsdale seemed to see it late but make a good reaction save to deny the Everton man.
McNeil played a teasing ball into the back post and Keane met it with a header into the bottom corner. Ramsdale got down well to tip it onto the post but the ball ricocheted off the Saints’ keeper and struck the post once again. As the Everton defender tried to bundle it over the line, the former Arsenal man did well to put it behind for a corner.
Ramsdale was seen as the shining light of The Saints’ transfer window. This was the kind of form they were hoping to see from their new man. Despite having dominated the first-half, Everton had the bit between their teeth after the restart. Russell Martin’s side only had their keeper to thank for the fact that they were still in this game.
Beto then used his pace to counter-attack and as he headed towards goal, Bednarek chopped him down. Fortunately for the hosts it was deemed Harwood-Bellis was covering so he only saw yellow when a card was produced. As the resulting free kick was struck towards goal, Ramsdale was there once again to beat the effort away.
As time began to run out in the game, nerves were getting the better of the hosts. They were heading towards a first clean sheet in 22 games. Dibling was penalised for a foul on Beto and it gave the visitors a free kick in a dangerous position. The resulting set piece was swung into the back post and Tarkowski’s volleyed cross was headed onto the bar by Beto.
The Everton striker still had his head in his hands as The Saints steamed upfield. As the cross came in, Armstrong stroked the ball home and the stadium erupted. In the space of a couple of minutes the fans had gone through the full range of emotions, nearly falling behind before grabbing a late goal to put them within touching distance of their first win of the season.
With just a minute remaining, a ball was clipped over the top of The Saints’ defence. Beto ran onto it and threaded the ball under Ramsdale to equalise. A nervy wait then happened as a VAR review took place. Much to the relief of the hosts, the goal was ruled out for offside. It seemed The Toffees’ striker had just set off too early.
It was a massive result for Southampton and it had been a long time coming. The three points took The Saints off the bottom of the Premier League. Russell Martin will be hoping his side can use this as a springboard to better things for the remainder of the season. This win will certainly take some pressure off the St Mary’s manager.
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