Koeman: Final 30 minutes was very good

Everton manager Ronald Koeman was well-pleased by the result from today’s game as the Blues picked up another three points to start the new year with a bang, beating his former side Southampton 3-0.

“I mentioned to the players at half time to play at a higher tempo and we did that much better in the second half.

“It is always difficult to create big chances, Southampton are a strong team, but we made the difference in the final part of the game.

“The result is very good and we got a clean sheet. We had good organisation about our defending and were defensively strong, and we know we can score goals. The final 30 minutes was very good.

“It is always nice to have a strong result at home and a clean sheet. It boosts confidence. It was a tough period over Christmas but seven points from nine is really good.”

Youngster Dominic Calvert-Lewin was handed his first Everton start, while Tom Davies made his second career start, making the Toffees the first Premier League club this term to have two teenagers in their starting XI.

Calvert-Lewin unfortunately had to be taken off after sustaining an ankle injury in the opening exchanges of the game.

“Enner was really important when he came on, and that was also the reason to start Dominic.

“We needed someone behind Romelu with more pace and to give Ross a little more freedom down the side.

“We started well and I thought Dominic did well in the first 10 minutes and after he went off we missed his pace. We are all disappointed for him to have to come off.

"We need to wait until tomorrow [to assess it]. He's disappointed but he's young - he will come back.

“After 60 minutes, the team needed the kind of player Enner is to bring on. He has been really good and we know we have that competition for places in the squad, which is good to have.”

In other news, with his converted penalty today, Leighton Baines made two pieces of history.

He tied club legends Trevor Steven and David Unsworth for most converted penalties with his 23rd goal for Everton today.

The left back also became the highest scoring defender in Premier League history, being involved in 78 goals.