Golden boy Richarlison gives Rafa ideal start
RAFA BENITEZ has a knack of getting big decisions right and his call to select Richarlison, despite the Brazilian’s busy summer, proved key to starting his controversial Goodison reign on a high note.
Richarlison had spent his summer playing in the Copa America and Olympics, winning a gold medal in Japan just a week ago. Yet here he was after just one day off, answering Rafa’s rallying cry with power and energy, scoring an equaliser and setting up a late third as they hit back from a half-time deficit.
The gamble nearly backfired when the peroxided 24-year-old was booked in the first half for diving as Southampton led through a debut goal from their £15million signing Adam Armstrong. But a shift in tactics from Benitez, moving Richarlison more centrally and shifting Demarai Gray out to the left, worked wonders.
The Olympian was a fox in the box to stab home Andros Townsend’s header after 47 minutes. A big Goodison crowd, who had given former Liverpool manager Benitez a big ovation before kick-off, then hollered their team to three points.
Abdoulaye Doucoure swivelled on the edge of the box before firing Everton ahead and Richarlison teed up Dominic Calvert-Lewin to seal the points with a diving header.
It was relief for the fans whose team were beaten nine times at home last season and it marked the first time Benitez had won his opening Premier League game at a club, having failed to do so with Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle.
Richarlison looked understandably shattered as he received a standing ovation coming off in the final minute but the words afterwards of his new manager will have made it seem worthwhile.
‘I’m happy with Richy,’ said Benitez. ‘We knew after the Olympics people would say he could be tired but the reality is his match fitness is good. We gave him one day off to make sure he was fine. We will see how he does in the next couple of weeks and then let him recover a bit for the rest of the season.
‘He was linking really well with the midfielders and when he changed with Demarai, it gave us more options.’
For Southampton, a sixth successive away defeat does not augur well for a team who have sold Danny Ings and Jannik Vestergaard. Fielding three debutants, they deserved the lead when Che Adams pounced on a mistake by Michael Keane and Armstrong ran on to fire home. But they were flimsy in the second half.
Manager Ralph Hasenhüttl admitted: ‘I thought about making changes 10 minutes after half-time at 1-1, but the team then showed they were back in the game. Then Doucoure scores from outside the box, which was very disappointing for us. I don’t know if there was a chance to save it.’
Benitez (right) had waved to fans after his arrival was announced. But early pressure from Everton, which presented chances to Allan and Calvert-Lewin, failed to bring a breakthrough and with Richarlison marshalled by 18-year-old Saints right-back Valentino Livramento, the visitors took a shock lead. Keane dwelt on the ball and was robbed by Adams, who nudged into the path of Armstrong. The striker scored 29 times for Blackburn last season and showed plenty of confidence as he advanced on Jordan Pickford and bent a finish into the top corner. It was the first repayment on his transfer fee. Everton’s desperation seemed to induce Richarlison into trying to win a penalty after half-an-hour. Not only did Andy Madley wave away the claims as he hit the turf following a challenge by Oriol Romeu, he also booked the Brazilian. Armstrong tested Pickford with a snapshot towards the near post but after Richarlison escaped a second yellow shortly before half-time for a foul, he made Saints pay. After 47 minutes, Lucas Digne’s corner was headed back towards goal by Townsend and Richarlison judged the flight perfectly and stuck out a boot to divert it home.
With the advantage of playing in front of a full house for the first time in 18 months, Everton made it count. Substitute Alex Iwobi fed Doucoure and the Frenchman showed tremendous grace as he swivelled on the edge of the box and fired past Alex McCarthy.
Calvert-Lewin put the icing on the cake with nine minutes left after Iwobi and Richarlison combined.
Benitez dismissed any idea of being nervous facing his Everton public for the first time. ‘I was more nervous when I came here with another team,’ he quipped.
‘The reception was great. At half-time, the first thing was to give the players confidence. We made changes and found an intensity we were looking for in the first half.’