TOFFEES ARE UP AND AWAY
Lampard’s heroes get show on the road
IT ALL came Dwight for Frank Lampard who mixed, matched and manipulated his line-up to end Everton’s dreadful away record.
The Toffees had only managed one win in their previous 20 Premier League fixtures on the road.
But Dwight McNeil’s second-half winner was enough for a first away win of the season.
Boss Lampard had left out his much-coveted striker Anthony Gordon and started with McNeil, a choice that was vindicated when the £20million summer buy from Burnley lashed the ball into the roof of the net in the 54th minute.
It ended an intense, giddying spell of three goals in five minutes and although Lampard’s men had some hairy moments as they clung to their lead, they held on.
Everton have now managed backto-back victories and are unbeaten in six league games, with much for their fans and Lampard to feel good about.
Not least the steadiness late on of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, whose calmness and authority will also please England supporters ahead of the World Cup.
Twice Pickford was in the right place to deny Saints substitute Adam Armstrong as the clock ticked down.
For Southampton, this was a lead overturned and another game where their control of affairs always looked unconvincing.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team have now lost 14 of their last 20 league matches and the pressure is back on the Austrian after three successive defeats with a visit to Manchester City next.
They went ahead four minutes after the break through Joe Aribo after a low-key first-half but then conceded quickly to Conor Coady before McNeil struck what proved the winner.
Saints went ahead following an energetic run by Juan Larios.
Che Adams rolled the ball onto Aribo and even though his control was not the best, Everton’s defending allowed him time to sweep the ball into the corner.
But within a couple of minutes, Everton hit back when Demarai Gray’s free-kick was headed across by Onana and emphatically volleyed home by Coady.
Southampton responded again and saw an Adams shot blocked before two of his team-mates also had efforts charged down.
It might have been a very different outcome if one of those had gone in, but Everton broke quickly and decisively for a second time. A tempting cross cross by Alex Iwobi saw Kyle Walker-Peters tangle with Onana and when the ball fell to an unmarked O’Neil, he thumped it into a narrow gap between Gavin Bazunu and the near post.
Everton controlled long periods of the first half but failed to make their advantage tell.
Gray’s vicious, dipping cross had Bazunu flapping but none of Everton’s players were able to make him pay.
Gray then cut inside from the left but his shot was straight at the Irishman.
SOUTHAMPTON: Bazunu 6; Walker-Peters 6, BellaKotchap 6, Caleta-Car 6, Larios 5 (Perraud (60) 6); WardProwse 6, Maitland-Niles 5 (Edozie (67) 6), Mara 5 (A Armstrong (60) 6); Aribo 7, S Armstrong 6 (Elyounoussi (88) 6); Adams 7
EVERTON: Pickford 8; Coleman 6, Tarkowski 6, Coady 7, Mykolenko 6; Gueye 7, Iwobi 6, Onana 7 (Davies (74)
6); Gray 8 (Doucoure (90) 6), McNeil 8 (Gordon (74) 6); Maupay 7 (Rondon (88) 6)
STAR MAN: Dwight McNeil – Tireless runner who saved enough energy for a lethal finish.
REF: Andre Marriner 7