Would Everton have come back to win this game last season? No, certainly not. Would Southampton manage to hold on to win it last term? Well, no.
Everton showed fight and togetherness as they came back from a goal down in emphatic fashion to make it seven matches unbeaten, the best run of the Frank Lampard era.
As for Southampton, it’s nothing new. Since the start of last season, they’ve dropped a league-high 35 points from winning positions in the Premier League.
Dwight McNeil scored the winning goal for Everton with a cool and calm 54th minute finish
Joe Aribo had opened the scoring early in the second half for Southampton to put them one-up
But Frank Lampard’s side hit back, as Conor Coady equalised, before McNeil’s winner
Everton are now seven games unbeaten as they continue to build under Frank Lampard
Had Saints been able to hold on to leads, they would have been challenging for a Europa League spot last term. Obviously it doesn’t work out like that, but it’s a theme that has too often pockmarked the largely-impressive tenure of Ralph Hasenhuttl.
But this was all about Lampard’s Toffees. Their season has gone largely under the radar but they have turned the dismal losses into draws and, slowly, are being able to put away fellow mid-table clubs.
Joe Aribo put Southampton ahead on 49 minutes but, by 54 minutes, Everton had scored two quick-fire goals – via summer signings Conor Coady and Dwight McNeil – to turn this game on its head and send the away end into delirium.
Lampard has now masterminded a seven match unbeaten run as he continues to turn Everton around
After that Lampard’s men showed fight, resilience and – for once – even had a bit of luck as Saints were halted by heroic blocks, a stellar display from Jordan Pickford and, well, poor finishing.
It is fair to say the first half was exactly what you’d expect after a prolonged break in Premier League action. It was slow and lacking in goalmouth action.
Everton probably edged the opening 45 minutes and dominated possession but struggled to get in behind Southampton’s defence.
The Toffees did have Jordan Pickford to thank, who was superb in goal for the visitors
The one time they did manage to muster a sight of goal came after a weaving run from Demarai Gray, who skipped past two challenges but shot straight into the grateful grasp of Gavin Bazunu.
It says a lot about the ever-improving talents of Anthony Gordon that he was sorely missed for Everton here. The 21-year-old could only make the substitutes’ bench after struggling with an illness.
Another problem was the lack of tempo in Everton’s midfield. Alex Iwobi and Idrissa Gana Gueye were repeatedly found guilty of giving the ball away with sloppy passes.
The first half was a hard-fought affair, with neither side able to break the other down
Coady has impressed for the club since joining from Wolves in the summer
One of those was punished four minutes into what turned out to be a crazy second half. Gueye lost possession cheaply on the halfway line and Che Adams picked out Aribo, who shot low and hard past Jordan Pickford.
Little over two minutes later, though, Everton equalised. Amadou Onana headed down a floated free-kick to Coady, who was unmarked to tap home into an empty net for his first Everton goal.
Southampton nearly restored their lead just seconds later but were denied by a string of heroic blocks, with Everton defenders throwing their bodies on the line to stop shots.
McNeil’s superb winning goal came after he hammered the ball home post Gavin Bazunu
Everton move up to 11th in the Premier League following their second win on the trot
Everton have developed a new-found resillience after their struggles during last season
The Toffees counter-attacked with pace and, less than three minutes after equalising, they took the lead. Seamus Coleman drove down the right-hand side and lofted a nice cross into the penalty area looking for Onana, who was bundled over.
Before the referee had time to weigh up whether it was a penalty or not, McNeil collected the loose ball and hammered it into Bazunu’s near post.
From there, Everton seemed to sit deep and invite Southampton pressure. They had Jordan Pickford to thank a couple of times, most notably a full-stretch save to deny Adam Armstrong from close range.
Southampton’s new signing, Duje Caleta-Car, should have equalised deep into added time
The England No 1 was commanding as James Ward-Prowse fizzed in a plethora of fizzed corners and free-kicks, with Pickford using his upper-body strength to fight past challenges and punch clear.
Duje Caleta-Car, on his Southampton league debut, should have equalised deep into injury time when he peeled off unmarked at the back post but shot over.
By the time of the full-time whistle, it felt like Everton were crawling over the line, with every clearance, foul won and block cheered as if it was a goal. But Everton got over that line eventually for a seismic three points.
