Everton vs Southampton LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction
Follow all the action from Goodison Park as Toffees fans protest against the board
James Ward-Prowse scored twice as bottom side Southampton came from behind to claim a vital 2-1 Premier League victory at fellow strugglers Everton and deepen the crisis at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Amadou Onana gave the home side a first half lead but Ward-Prowse equalised in the first minute of the second period and then curled in a trademark free-kick to give Southampton their first victory at Everton since 1997.
Southampton stay bottom of the standings with 15 points from their 19 games, the same number as Everton, who are above them only on goal difference.
The result comes on a day when members of the Everton board were advised to stay away from the ground over what the club termed a “real and credible threat to their safety and security”. Everton fans had planned a ‘sit-in’ at the ground after the game in protest at the club’s current plight.
The victory ends a run of six straight league defeats for Southampton and comes in a week in which they dumped Manchester City out of the League Cup, a marked improvement for new manager Nathan Jones after a difficult start at the club.
Ward-Prowse also saw his shot tipped onto the post by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the first half, while home striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin had his deflected shot come off the crossbar with the score at 1-1.
Everton vs Southampton
Jones' first Premier League victory as Southampton manager could not come at a better time. Although they are still bottom, they are level on points with Everton and West Ham and just two points behind 14th-place Leicester. The pressure increases on Lampard and Everton as their winless streak extends to nine games. The Saints host Aston Villa in their next Premier League fixture while Everton travel to West Ham.
Everton vs Southampton
The majority of the first half was fought very evenly. Both sides were physical in the middle of the pitch and tried to be positive with how they played. The football in the final third was poor at first but Everton and Southampton both grew as the game went on. Onana finally broke the deadlock in the 39th minute as he headed home from Gray's cross to give the hosts the lead. Pickford then made a good diving save in the final seconds of the half to ensure Everton entered the break at 1-0. Southampton made a rapid start to the second period as Ward-Prowse scored inside a minute after showing great composure to first beat Godfrey and then finish past Pickford. The visitors pushed on from there and Ward-Prowse scored again in the 78th minute, this time with a wonderful free-kick to give the Saints a 2-1 win.
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