Southampton vs Everton result: Five things we learned as Saints end Toffees’ unbeaten start to season

Table-topping Everton suffered a first Premier League defeat of the season as they lost 2-0 at Southampton.

Gylfi Sigurdsson went closest to opening the scoring for Everton when his long-range strike hit the crossbar, but Saints also had their chances before a Danny Ings pass opened the defence and James Ward-Prowse fired his team ahead.

Ings claimed a second assist soon after with a fine run down the left and clipped cross, which ended in Che Adams burying an effort via a slight deflection. Stuart Amstrong rattled in another strike after a counter-attack but the goal was ruled out for offside.

After the break Everton did try to push on and create more, but Saints stood firm at the back and the game was over as a contest when Lucas Digne saw red for a horrendous double challenge on Kyle Walker-Peters.

Here are five things we learned from the game at St. Mary’s on Sunday.

Out of position

With no Seamus Coleman available, Everton turned to new signing Ben Godfrey to fill in at right-back.

The former Norwich man is a central defender by trade, taking part here in the different role out of necessity, and that was rather apparent from within the first few minutes.

He was constantly outrun by Nathan Redmond, not really showing the right positional work or the agility needed to change direction against a tricky wide player.

Godfrey will continue to be targeted by teams while he’s learning the trade and in the side in that position, meaning he’ll have to contend with the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin and Marcus Rashford in the coming games.

Lacking depth

That wasn’t the only issue in the Everton team on this occasion and it perhaps points to why they’ve done so well at the start, but aren’t at all likely to keep up the pace: they don’t have the depth in the squad to maintain that level of starting XI quality.

With Richarlison suspended, Alex Iwobi came in on the left. He had very little positive impact on the attack, was subbed at the break and his replacement, Bernard, has been out-of-favour and similarly achieved a minimal impact.

Worse is to come, after Lucas Digne was deservedly shown a red card of his own for a couple of awful tackles in the space of five seconds.

Carlo Ancelotti has definitely overseen an improvement, but that doesn’t yet extend to the depths of the Everton squad, which unlike the starting 11 remains lacking in the ability to consistently beat teams.

Pair of predators

Saints are one of the few teams who regularly play a two-man strikeforce and the Danny Ings-Che Adams pairing is really reaping rewards.

The England international was already in-form, scoring regularly last season and this, but here he turned provider with a couple of smart assists for his team.

Adams took a while to get to grips with the top flight, perhaps, but he has enjoyed more success in front of goal in 2020.

A well-taken strike, lots of runs in behind the defence, the expected amount of pressing and work rate and the duo are a struggle for most oppositions to cope with.

Upwardly mobile Saints

Southampton didn’t start the season well, losing twice and conceding six in the process, but it’s since been a non-stop train of positivity.

Four successive games without defeat now for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team means they edge well into the top half, albeit very early on in the season, and there’s lots of scope for confidence about a good season ahead.

Interesting options on the bench, new signings yet to really break into the team, lots of alternatives for the important wide midfield roles; it’s full-steam-ahead for a team who will think they should be more than capable of being in the top eight.

They next face Aston Villa and Newcastle before the international break, by which time they could quietly have moved into the European spots - a massive success considering where they were a year ago after the Leicester debacle.

England’s other No 9s

As mentioned above in terms of his partnership with Adams, Ings was an impressive performer for the team.

But in terms of individuality and impact on the game, there was another aspect to Ings’ showing: coming out well on top when compared to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The two are vying to become England’s alternative centre-forward to Harry Kane, with both scoring goals this season and involved - and netting - in the last international break.

For movement, impact in the box, work rate and all-round approach play, it was the Saints striker who definitely emerged with most credit from the day, with Gareth Southgate will no doubt have noticed.

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