Southampton saw their hopes of Champions League qualification suffer a blow on Saturday with a 1-0 defeat away to Everton.
The only goal of the game came on 16 minutes when Phil Jagielka was on hand to turn the ball past Kelvin Davis after the Saints had failed to clear a corner.
Ronald Koeman's side pushed hard for an equaliser in the second half, but they were unable to turn their dominance into clear-cut chances.Your text to link...
Here, Sports Mole rates the performances of those involved on an entertaining afternoon at Goodison Park.
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EVERTON
Goal
Tim Howard: Made a crucial save early on to deny Pelle. Was solid for the remainder of the game, though he had few shots on target to deal with. (7/10)
Defence
Seamus Coleman: Was forced to defend more than attack as Southampton cranked up the pressure. Struggled to contain the visitors down the right flank. (5/10)
Phil Jagielka: Showed good attacking instincts to score the only goal of the game before staying robust at the back. (7/10)
John Stones: Complemented Jagielka well in central defence. Had one or two shaky moments on the ball, but his maturity also impressed. (7/10)
Leighton Baines: A typical performance from the left-back, who ran himself into the ground trying to help his side at both ends of the pitch. (7/10)
Midfield
James McCarthy: His physicality was needed in central midfield as Southampton mixed it up. That said, he faded as the game went on. (6/10)
Gareth Barry: Could have done a better job of anchoring Everton's midfield. Southampton's dominance in that area tells you that he and his colleagues were overwhelmed. (5/10)
Aaron Lennon: Caused the visitors problems with his dynamic running. However, he could have done more to test Bertrand, who was booked early on. (7/10)
Ross Barkley: Showed flashes of what he is capable of thanks to some powerful runs from midfield. Struggled to keep this up for the whole game and was taken off with 20 minutes left. (6/10)
Leon Osman: Fought doggedly for the Everton cause. Was strong in the tackle and demonstrated great stamina to get up and down the pitch. (8/10)
Attack
Arouna Kone: Enjoyed a productive afternoon in attack. Occasionally let himself down with some poor passing, but his movement was important to the Toffees. (7/10)
Substitutes
Steven Naismith: Injected a bit more energy into the home side's attack when he came off the bench with 20 minutes left. (6/10)
Muhamed Besic: Was introduced in order to bolster Everton's midfield, though he found it hard to make an impact during the final stages. (5/10)
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SOUTHAMPTON
Goal
Kelvin Davis: Gave a good account of himself in the absence of Forster. That said, he may feel that he should have done better with Jagielka's goal. (6/10)
Defence
Nathaniel Clyne: Another impressive 90 minutes for the right-back. Looked very good going forward and was also fearless at the back. (8/10)
Jose Fonte: Organised the Southampton defence well, though it was poor marking in their own penalty area that cost the visitors in the end. (6/10)
Toby Alderweireld: A quiet afternoon for the Belgian, who was sacrificed late on as the away side pushed for an equaliser. (6/10)
Ryan Bertrand: Got himself in trouble by getting booked early on, but he was disciplined enough after that to remain on the pitch. Could have got forward more than he did. (6/10)
Midfield
Victor Wanyama: Bullied some of the Everton players in midfield. However, he was sometimes clumsy in possession. (6/10)
Morgan Schneiderlin: Often cleaned up in central areas, allowing the Saints to mount wave after wave of attack. (7/10)
James Ward-Prowse: His deliveries from corners were below par. Came close to getting on the scoresheet in the first half with a free kick that whistled wide of the post. (6/10)
Eljero Elia: Despite being given the nod ahead of Sadio Mane on account of being fresher, the winger failed to have the desired effect for the visitors. (6/10)
Attack
Shane Long: Worked hard up front for Southampton. Could well have found the net with a bit more fortune in the final third. (7/10)
Graziano Pelle: Coming off the back of his goal against England in midweek, the Italian's club form was resumed with an average performance. (5/10)
Substitutes
Dusan Tadic: Made a positive impact off the bench during the final 30 minutes. Looked lively and kept Everton on their toes. (7/10)
Sadio Mane: Similarly to Tadic, Mane gave the away side more of an attacking impetus as they turned up the heat in search of an equaliser. (7/10)
Filip Djuricic: Was unable to help the Saints find a leveller when he entered the action for the final 10 minutes. (5/10)
Jack Prescott
