What We Learned – Everton 1 Southampton 0

What We Learned – Everton 1 Southampton 0 [VIDEO]

0
SHARE

An early Phil Jagielka strike was enough to see Everton claim a slender victory in an open clash against Southampton at Goodison Park.

Jagielka found the back of the net after Gareth Barry recovered the ball on the by-line and found his captain with the cutback.

The Toffees would start the match without striker Romelu Lukaku, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Darron Gibson’s injury curse continued, this time with a broken metatarsal.

The encounter was, for the most part, free flowing, with both teams having good spells in possession. Southampton had arguably the better chances on balance, but was never able to capitalise.

Ronald Koeman’s side started best, with Graziano Pelle bringing the best out of Tim Howard. The Italian latched onto Shane Long’s cross and looked to have scooped a shot over the veteran, only for Howard to claw the ball away on the line.

James Ward-Prowse went close not once but twice, stinging the palms of Howard with a long-range strike and finding the side netting with a free kick from the top of the area, leaving the American keeper rooted to the spot.

As mistakes set in during the second half, play became increasingly end-to-end, with both sides having their share of ventures into the opposing penalty area, but neither goalkeeper was overly troubled.

The 1-0 victory is Everton’s third in a row and takes it closer to a top 10 finish, while defeat all but ends Southampton’s dream of Champions League qualification.

Sometimes, it only takes one

With clear-cut chances at a premium, efficiency in front of goal proved to be decisive in the clash. The Toffees struggled to test Saints custodian Kelvin Davis, but one chance was all they needed.

Jagielka’s goal proved to be the home side’s only shot on target for the entirety of the match, but that chance was the one that counted.

Southampton, meanwhile, had the better opportunities but struggled to break down the Everton defence, with the only notable breach from the Saints coming from the boot of Pelle.

Rare clean sheet for Tim Howard

This season has been something of an enigma for 36-year-old Howard, with his post-World Cup form leaving a lot to be desired after a string of under par performances.

Against the Saints, however, Howard was a key factor in Everton’s victory, making three crucial saves, most notably off the boot of big striker Pelle. Importantly, Howard looked confident and in command of his penalty box, something that has been lacking for the majority of the season and was compounded by a calamitous performance against Leicester City not long ago, which led to many Everton fans calling for his axing.

The clean sheet was a well-deserved one, and is only Howard’s fifth of the season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH-WNHaSkgY

Southampton top four dream all but over

The South Coast side’s dream of Champions League football is effectively over after defeat at Goodison. The Saints have surprised this season after a mass exodus in the offseason and their standing on the league table reflects the quality brand of football they have been playing.

[interaction id=”5520f9007fdf079b4e25d529″]

But what would have been a fairy-tale ticket into Europe’s premier competition now seems off the table, with the Saints slipping down to sixth place, level on 53 points with Tottenham Hotspur, leaving the club in danger of dropping out of the Europa League places.

Koeman’s men have a favourable run home, with four of their seven remaining fixtures against teams entrenched in the relegation dogfight. In this period of matches is a home clash against Spurs and former boss Mauricio Pochettino, a game that will make or break the club’s Europa League aspirations.

What are your thoughts? Let us know by dropping a comment below via our Facebook comment box. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Outside90 and like us on Facebook.

LEAVE A REPLY