Silva lining for Marco as Richarlison nets again
everton 2
Walcott (15), Richarlison (31)
southampton 1
Ings (54)
Marco Silva is up and running at Everton as he oversaw his first win after taking over as their new manager this summer.
First-half strikes from Theo Walcott and a third in two games from new boy Richarlison did the damage, before enduring a more nervous 45 minutes after the break. At £50 million, Richarlison is Everton’s record signing as he followed Silva north from Watford. How the 21-year-old performs will have a big bearing on how successful Silva’s reign on Merseyside will be, but the early signs are very promising. And with the new manager warmly received by the Goodison faithful, the vibes were positive after the match. “Everybody is happy,” said Silva. “It was an important win for us and a good performance in some moments. “There was a fantastic atmosphere in our stadium and that is something that I expected. “It’s important for me and our players to feel the fans behind us. “When we sign a player like Richarlison, I expect he came to the right club. “But it’s not only that he can perform well, I am sure he will always give 100%. “I know here that the crowd is normally fantastic and they know, because I already told them, that it is important for our players to feel them behind us, always supporting our players, even in the moments in the game when you can’t perform well it is important to feel them.” This corresponding fixture was Everton’s final home game of last season and, as far as the Everton fans were concerned, manager Sam Allardyce couldn’t leave quickly enough. Silva has come in and has been busy wheeling and dealing since his arrival. Six players have come in, while 12 have departed either permanently or on loan. After three managers and a very turgid last campaign, there was a renewed sense of optimism around Goodison, which was helped by the team’s positive start. That was rewarded with an opening goal after a quarter of an hour, which was straight off the training ground. Instead of sending a free-kick high into the box, Leighton Baines fired it low into Morgan Schneiderlin who touched it into Walcott’s path. The man who started his career as a youngster at Southampton beat the exposed Alex McCarthy and it was a big tick for Silva’s coaching methods. In front of Gareth Southgate, Jordan Pickford, the England goalkeeper, spilled Cedric Soares’ hopeful long-range effort, only to atone with a superb touch that took Danny Ings’ follow-up on to the crossbar. Southampton were struggling in terms of defence and discipline, with Ings one of few bright spots. Moments later, the home side doubled their advantage as the ball was worked wide to Walcott and his cross was headed home by Richarlison. Saints improved after half-time and Ings finally got his first Southampton goal when he reacted quickest after Mario Lemina nodded on a corner from James Ward-Prowse. Jack Stephens became the fifth Saints player booked for a late challenge that many home fans believed should have led to a red. Walcott had the ball in the net, but was ruled out for offside, but then he really should have put the game to bed. The interplay with Gylfi Sigurdsson deserved a goal as it carved open the defence but Walcott shot wide with only McCarthy to beat. Everton had belatedly jolted back into life, but the visitors were still having opportunities. Ings was furious after being hit by Pickford in a heavy clearance and seeing his shirt ripped, before the Everton goalkeeper denied a Ward-Prowse free-kick. McCarthy pushed Idrissa Gana Gueye’s shot wide as the clock wound down as Everton hung on for victory, but Southampton manager Mark Hughes was left incensed by a challenge from Pickford on Ings as his team pushed for a point late on. England’s No.1 raced from his area to clear the ball, but took out Ings in his followthrough, leaving Saints’ new striker requiring a new shirt. “Their keeper should have been sent off for the challenge on Danny,” he moaned. “They had a man sent off for less last week. “There are five wields on Danny’s back. You saw the state of his shirt. It was ripped off his back. Clearly there is contact. The referee was there and the linesman has experience. But when my assistant spoke to him, the referee said he didn’t see it. I didn’t feel the goalkeeper needed to follow through. It’s not a case of sour grapes or trying to get the kid in trouble, but there needs to be consistency.”