admin
LIVERPOOL. — Richarlison continued his good form as Everton kept their European ambitions on track with a 1-0 victory over struggling Southampton at Goodison Park last night..
The Brazilian rounded Fraser Forster to score his fifth goal in as many games as Carlo Ancelotti’s side moved level on points with Liverpool and two points behind fourth-placed West Ham with a game in hand.
Since the start of last season, only Joao Pedro (30) and Neymar (19) are the only Brazilians to score more goals in the top five European leagues than Everton’s Richarlison (18, level with Gabriel Jesus).
It was a welcome victory for the hosts, who have struggled at Goodison Park, against a Southampton side clearly lacking in confidence and form.
Once Richarlison took Gylfi Sigurdsson’s pass in his stride to open the scoring after nine minutes, set-pieces looked the most likely scoring outlet as both sides failed to find any consistent rhythm.
But Michael Keane’s effort was ruled out for offside while Dominic Calvert-Lewin did well to head James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick clear.
The best chances for the visitors came at the end when Moussa Djenepo fired just wide of the far post after a promising move before Jordan Pickford saved from Jannik Vestergaard, leaving Danny Ings kicking a post in frustration.
Defeat for the injury-hit Saints was an eighth in nine games as they remain seven points clear of the relegation zone.
Everton’s season has been an inconsistent affair with their home form proving their biggest hindrance in an otherwise enterprising campaign.
But key to ending a run of three consecutive league losses at Goodison Park was the return of Brazilian midfielder Allan, who added extra protection in a midfield that has often left the defence exposed.
His first start since 16 December allowed Abdoulaye Doucoure and Andre Gomes to support Gylfi Sigurdsson at the tip of a midfield diamond, and it was the Iceland international’s through ball that sliced Southampton’s defence to open the scoring.
The goal came from a Pickford long ball won in the air by the irrepressible Calvert-Lewin.
The England striker was a thorn in Southampton’s side and combined well up top in absence of the injured James Rodriguez, who missed the game with a “really light problem”, according to Ancelotti.
Both Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison also helped in defence as Everton thwarted dangerous set-pieces from Ward-Prowse.
Richarlison, who scored in three successive Premier League games for the first time since December 2019, could have added to his 11th of the season when he almost poked in Sigurdsson’s free-kick. — BBC Sport.
Online Reporter