Richarlison strike condemns Saints to their worst home start
The worst home team against the worst away side suggested something had to give. For a while, this game was finely poised and there was a period in the second half when it looked as though Southampton might have taken something from the match.
Instead, it was Everton who collected their first away win since March, thanks to a superb cross from Djibril Sidibe and a well-taken finish by Richarlison, to ease the pressure on manager Marco Silva.
“If you talk about the football and not so much about speculation it would be different,” said Silva. “But I never feel pressure. It’s good for me because I don’t read what is written. Football is always a privilege. Being manager in Everton is always a privilege.”
Everton were good value for the three points, dominating the first half, at the end of which they might have had more than the one goal scored through Tom Davies. It came from their first corner. Gylfi Sigurdsson delivered it, Mason Holgate beat Jannik Vestergaard to flick a header to the far post, where the unmarked Davies was waiting to nod home.
“After this goal you could feel the lack of self-confidence and positivity,” said Ralph Hasenhuttl, Saints manager. “When we defend like this, when we are exposed like this sometimes it is simply not good enough for the Premier League.”
Not being good enough for the Premier League has been a constant, nagging thought for Southampton fans, and it is hard to picture anything other than a relegation battle this season.
“Not brave enough and not good enough, simply,” was Hasenhuttl’s conclusion, and it was difficult to argue.
Theo Walcott caused plenty of early headaches for his former club and Everton might have extended their lead when he and Cenk Tosun combined well to create a chance for the Turkish striker, which he headed over the bar.
As Hasenhuttl has done so often this season, he made alterations to his formation and brought on Sofiane Boufal at the break. To his credit it worked, as the Moroccan immediately gave the Saints more impetus and soon created the equaliser. Boufal tricked his way past Morgan Schneiderlin before his low cross was deflected into the path of Danny Ings, who smashed home his sixth goal in seven games.
The supporters, who had all been issued with a free club scarf before kick-off, presumably by way of an apology following their last visit to St Mary’s, the 9-0 drubbing by Leicester, finally had something to get behind.
James Ward-Prowse raised spirits further as his 25-yard free-kick was beaten away by Jordan Pickford.
But hope was extinguished when Sidibe crossed brilliantly for Richarlison to take the game away from the Saints once more. During the week, Silva had criticised Richarlison for going to ground too easily, but had cause to thank him on this occasion. “We are working with Richarlison to be more brave, to stand up as much as he can and keep putting his quality in a match, because he is a top, top player.”
It leaves Saints with their worst ever home start to a Premier League season. Booed off at half-time and again at fulltime when many supporters threw their new scarves onto the pitch, these are unhappy times at St Mary’s.