Everton secured just their second Premier League away win in over 13 months with an incredible turnaround against Southampton at St Mary’s as they combined some long-overdue good fortune with a big dollop of grit and determination.
In this corresponding fixture last season – just Frank Lampard’s second away match in charge – the Blues turned in a performance as miserable as the weather, falling to a 2-0 defeat as Storm Eunice battered the nation and thousands of loyal but long-suffering fans endured a nightmare trip down to the south coast from Merseyside.
When Southampton took the lead on this occasion, just four minutes into the second half, ironically after they had been gifted possession by Everton’s outstanding performer of the first period, Idrissa Gueye, beleaguered Blues would have been forgiven for thinking ‘here we go again’. But the 2022/23 edition of their team is now made of sterner stuff.
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Too many times in recent years that setback would have seen the players go into their shells and it would have been game over but instead the visitors hit back with an instant reply.
Two of Lampard’s summer signings Amadou Onana, who headed the ball across goal, and Conor Coady, who poked home at the back post, combined to equalise just three minutes later and then a mere two minutes after that, Everton somehow found themselves ahead. In between all of that, another new boy James Tarkowski almost gifted Southampton a second goal when he too gave away possession cheaply but the Blues scrambled the ball clear and another recruit from Burnley, Dwight McNeil got on the end of a cross from Alex Iwobi to crash the ball into Gavin Bazunu’s net from a tight angle.
From then on, Everton were clinging on but although the Saints kept marching into the visitors’ penalty area, as much as they banged on the door, they couldn’t open it again and the Blues fans – in fine voice throughout – were able to celebrate a memorable away win in the glorious Hampshire sunshine.
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