Everton 1-2 Southampton: The Saints hold on to vital victory in relegation clash

Inspirational Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse scored a brilliant double to confirm Everton’s worst run at Goodison Park since 1958 and leave both clubs bottom of the table.

Everton, whose directors stayed away amid fears for their safety from disgruntled fans, took a first-half lead through Amadou Onana’s first goal for the club.

But Ward-Prowse equalized shortly after the restart and then took a signature free-kick to provoke a cacophony of boos and protests from the full-time home fans and leave Frank Lampard’s job hanging by a thread.

It was the first time Everton had lost four consecutive league games at home in 65 years – with chants of ‘Sack the Board’ coming from all four corners of the pitch – while the Saints ended a six-game losing streak with their success with Nathan Jones. first league win as manager after two cup successes in the last week.

With both teams in the bottom three and losing streaks, substance was always going to be more important than style at Goodison.

The absence of Everton board members following the threats against them summed up the toxic mood at the Merseyside club. A number of banners with slogans addressed to Chairman Bill Kenwright and Owner Farhad Moshiri were displayed before kickoff.

Frank Lampard couldn’t afford any distractions, especially as bottom-placed Southampton had been lifted by a midweek EFL Cup win against Manchester City.

Center forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin was fit to return and there was a welcome bonus in seeing Alex Iwobi, who was carried off on a stretcher at Old Trafford eight days ago.

Southampton’s Romeo Lavia got into the spirit with an early foul on Amadou Onana which brought him a yellow card. And Everton, with fans forgetting their discontent in the boardroom to support the team, were almost rewarded when Demarai Gray fired a wide shot.

The Saints took their time to push forward but Everton looked nervous as they ventured forward. From a James Ward-Prowse corner, Jordan Pickford opted to deflect a Mohammed Salisu header that was deflected with considerable power. Mohamed Elyounoussi also had a shot deflected wide.

Everton needed a relaxer and it came after 39 minutes. Gray’s corner kick went past Salisu and Onana timed his leap to perfection to connect with a downward header that bounced once past goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu.

It was Onana’s first goal for the club following a £34m move from Lille and he kissed the Everton badge with due delight as Lampard gave his corner a hug.

The mood instantly improved and Iwobi nearly made it 2-0 with a stinging shot that missed the far post.

Then, with virtually the last kick of the first 45 minutes, Southampton nearly brought the Evertonians to tears in their half-time cup.

Samuel Edozie broke down the left and clipped an infield pass to Ward-Prowse was first hit and headed for the bottom corner until Pickford got desperate fingers to deflect it towards the post.

Everton ignored the warning and Saints equalized within the first minute of the restart. Che Adams headed a routine long ball too easily and Ward-Prowse took advantage of the rebound.

With a neat twist from the Southampton captain, their Godfrey marker plummeted and the midfielder had an easy chore to beat Pickford from eight yards.

The Everton faithful tried to stay behind their team even though the mood had turned more subdued. That all but changed after 56 minutes when Calvert-Lewin’s shot drifted wide after Salisu deflected it and hit the underside of the crossbar.

Referee John Brooks looked at his watch but it did not go off to indicate that he had crossed the line.

Southampton released in January the signing of Carlos Alcaraz for his debut after an hour with Lampard responding by bowling over local hero Anthony Gordon; Coleman broke through as Everton got back to four to search for a winner.

Leading the charge was 21-year-old Onana, whose run through midfield earned Ibrahima Diallo a yellow card.

But instead of Everton scoring next, it was Southampton again through their wizard Ward-Prowse.

Gray lost the ball to Adams in the Southampton half and, on a quick break, Gordon ran past the Scotland international.

Free kick specialist Ward-Prowse lived up to his reputation by bending his shot over the wall to land in the near post corner before Pickford moved. It was his 16th free kick in the Premier League, placing him second on the all-time two list behind David Beckham.

Everton tried to rally but the closest they came to an equalizer was a blocked James Tarkowski shot in stoppage time, while Lampard stood at arm’s length after Gordon went down in the box appealing a penalty.