A Richarlison goal 15 minutes from time helped Everton secure a 2-1 win over Southampton, giving the Toffees their first away win of the season.
After conceding nine in their last home game just over two weeks ago, Southampton hosted Everton hoping to end their run of bad form that had seen the Saints win only once in the league since September 14.
Any hope the home fans had was shattered inside the opening 5 minutes as Tom Davies gave Everton the lead with a header from close range.
Gylfi Sigurdsson, who was brought back into the starting XI, picked out Mason Holgate at the near post from a corner. The young Englishman flicked the ball on towards the back post where Tom Davies nodded past Alex McCarthy to give the visitors an early lead.
Fifteen minutes later and the hosts should have doubled their lead through Cenk Tosun. The Turkish international, whose goal earned Everton a point last weekend, received the ball on the edge of the box from Morgan Schneiderlin, flicking it around the defender to Theo Walcott.
Tosun continued his run into the box and was picked out by Walcott, and from a very similar position to where Davies had given Everton the lead, Tosun just had to direct his header toward the goal. Unfortunately for Tosun, he got it all wrong and headed over the bar.
10 minutes later and Davies almost got lucky with a cross. He looked to pick out a body in the area from deep, but he didn’t get his foot around the ball, instead, his cross looked destined for the top corner before McCarthy tipped over for a corner.
Everton continued to dictate the play and saw out the remainder of the half without letting the hosts register a shot.
Ralph Hasenhuttl was not happy with what he had seen from his side in the first half, introducing Sofiane Boufal for the second half, and he proved to be an instant hit as he set up the equaliser five minutes after the restart.
After a Southampton corner was poorly cleared, Boufal picked up the loose ball out on the right, he eased past former Saints man Schneiderlin and drilled the ball across the six-yard box for Danny Ings to tap in from close range.
Everton had the chance to regain the lead almost immediately. Richarlison escaped his man down the left side, as he raced into the area, he tried to pick out a fellow blue shirt, but the ball was cleared and fell to Sigurdsson. Gylfi cut inside onto his favoured right foot, but his shot was straight at McCarthy.
10 minutes later and it was Southampton’s turn to try and take the lead. Moussa Djenepo won a free-kick wide left of the area and James Ward-Prowse stepped up, getting the ball up and over the wall only for Jordan Pickford to turn it around the post for a Southampton corner that was comfortably dealt with.
With 15 minutes of time remaining, Marco Silva introduced Alex Iwobi and Dominic Calvert-Lewin for Theo Walcott and Cenk Tosun and it worked out perfectly. Alex Iwobi played the ball down the wing for Djibril Sidibe, he crossed the ball to the back post, where Richarlison volleyed left-footed past McCarthy to give Everton the lead in front of the travelling supporters.
Everton had two more opportunities to kill the game through Iwobi. Lucas Digne down the left picked out the Nigerian just inside the area, he turned and shot towards goal, but unfortunately for him it was deflected just wide of the post.
Two minutes later and Iwobi was unmarked at the back post, his volley being once again deflected and hitting the outside of the post. Everton continued to see out the remainder of the game without any issues and picked up a vital three points.
