Live Blog

Fulltime Thoughts - The Blues just didn’t look right today, and coming up against a well-drilled Southampton side that had run rings around them in their previous meeting, this is not a surprise result at all, especially with Richarlison out.

Premier League

90+5’ - There’s the final whistle, mercifully. Blues stay top of the table on goal difference.

90’ - DCL also in the book now. Late challenge on Westergaard as the defender tries to clear the ball.

85’ - Saints are just queueing up to shoot every time they have the ball. The Blues are a defeated side and look it too.

80’ - Calvert-Lewin has the ball in the box, but with two defenders on him and no support, he loses the ball.

78’ - Mismatch in the box from a corner as Westergaard climbs above Gordon to head at goal, Pickford pushes it over for another corner that is cleared.

72’ - Everton’s season is now going from bad to worse. Lucas Digne has been sent off, it’s a straight red for him and a three-game suspension after trampling on Walker-Peters. Can sympathise with Digne as it looked inadvertent, but he definitely had studs digging into the Saints’ player’s ankle.

65’ - Blues look livelier after the changes, with players switching wings and generally looking more alive.

61’ - Bernard is in the Gomes position, while Gordon is out on the left now. Delph is in the DM spot.
Saints swarm forward again after a giveaway, an Armstrong cross into the box and the Blues backline is all at sea once again. Ings was offside though.

59’ - More changes for the Blues - Anthony Gordon and Fabian Delph now on, with Sigurdsson and Abdoulaye Doucoure making way.
Gordon right into it, finds Bernard in the box, and the Brazilian refuses to shoot, trying to find a teammate and it’s cleared.

57’ - Digne tries to cross into the box, handball by Kyle Walker-Peters, and he’s the first into the book too.
Sigurdsson and Digne standing over it, corner of the box. Digne takes it, cleared.

50’ - Redmond twists and turns then goes down in the box as Godfrey challenges him. A shout from the Saints players, Kevin Friend is unmoved. The VAR check proves him right, Redmond just lost his footing.

46’ - Once change for the Blues and it’s Iwobi off, Bernard on.

Halftime Thoughts - Call me a pessimist but I don’t see how we come back from this. Really need a spark on inspiration along with better industry from the players.

Premier League

45’ - Better the last couple of minutes from the Blues, but the Saints are happy to sit back now and show off their defensive composure, and will pick off the Toffees at will as they push up. Halftime, and Carlo Ancelotti has work to do.

41’ - Back-to-back corners swung in by Sigurdsson, both cleared away.

40’ - More horror defending as Ings finds Che Adams all alone, he holds up well and then finds Armstrong who hammers in the ball, 3-0.
But, it’s offside and Everton survive.

39’ - Everton are looking to pull one back before the halftime whistle, but it all looks very pedestrian right now. Not seeing that grit, the Toffees look a beaten team right now.

35’ - 2-0 Southampton now. Everton cannot handle the crosses from their right, and the multiple players in the box either. Ings cross finds Che Adams unmarked, he fires at goal, deflects off Sigurdsson and beats Pickford. Blues have no answers now.

32’ - Redmond beats Godfrey easily again and sends in another dangerous cross into the box. With James not tracking back, this is a challenge for the youngster. Without Richarlison running around, DCL is once again isolated up top and is getting little service.

30’ - Ever since Richarlison has joined Everton, the Blues are yet to win when he has not been on the pitch. That statistic needs changing.

27’ - Romeu hammers a shot at goal from distance and Pickford parries it away well. The resultant throw from the Everton left is taken by the Saints, and Ward-Prowse is played through behind Lucas Digne, and he fires it into the far corner and Pickford can do nothing about it.
Southampton lead 1-0. The goal was not a surprise after the early pressure, just didn’t see it coming from our left side.

23’ - Saints are focusing all their attacking work on Everton’s right where Godfrey has his hands full.
Armstrong has a very good chance but whiffs on the ball from about the penalty spot after a low cross from the Blues right. Saints are getting bodies in the box much more effectively than Everton have.

19’ - Oooh! Sigurdsson and Digne move down the left, with the Icelander cutting in and firing a shot to the far corner, it’s just too high, going off the top of the bar.

15’ - Ryan Bertrand tugs DCL down outside the box. It’s about 25 yards away, a bit to the right.. James curls it with his left foot, through the mess of players but it’s straight at goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.

13’ - Now James finds Iwobi who tries to wrap a shot with his right foot, blocked for a corner.
Initial corner is cleared, Iwobi twists and turns and tries to get it back into the box which he does, but its cleared again. Saints try to break but it’s intercepted by the Blues.

12’ - A good Saints attack as Bertrand runs at Godfrey and crosses into the box, Redmond fires off a shot at the far post and it goes just wide with Pickford stranded. Close.

10’ - A Ben Godfrey cross falls to Iwobi who tries to play it across the box and cleared for a corner.
Blues take it short, it comes to Doucoure who has a chance at a shot from outside the box but it’s well-blocked.

8’ - Everton have been hurried when on the ball in the middle so far, looking for that outlet ball to Dominic Calvert-Lewin or out on the wings.

2’ - James concedes a cheap freekick early in his own third - James Ward-Prowse with an inswinger dropping into the box with the sun right in his eyes, Michael Keane clears for a corner.
Corner into the box again with the sun in his eyes, Kevin Friend blows for a foul and Everton can get away.

1’ - Underway at St. Mary’s.

The players in the tunnel look very sharp in those Umbro grey and bright white trackie tops, Everton will be wearing the teal and grey third kits today.

Lineups - James plays! Gylfi Sigurdsson captains the Blues, Alex Iwobi and Ben Godfrey step into the side with three changes.

Preview

Everton are still holding on to top spot in the Premier League table, and have a chance to extend that lead on Liverpool with any points they can get off Southampton today when they travel to St. Mary’s.

With Richarlison out suspended until the next international break Carlo Ancelotti is going to have to get creative in replacing the Brazilian’s industry and eye for goal with a combination of players. That challenge could be even more difficult if James Rodriguez misses out today, with the Colombian superstar facing a late fitness test.

The Saints meanwhile have bounced back well from a miserable start to the season with two consecutive wins over West Bromwich Albion and Burnley followed by a thrilling draw against Chelsea last weekend when they came twice, including overcoming a two-goal lead and finally drawing 3-3 with an injury time goal.

Match Details

Competition: Premier League Matchday 6

Date and start time: Sunday, October 25th at 7:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m ET / 2:00 p.m. BST

Stadium: St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton, England, United Kingdom

Capacity: 32,505

Weather: 55°F/13°C, chance of showers, 34% chance of precipitation, 15 mph winds

How to Watch/Listen

TV: NBCSN, Universo - United States; BT Sport 1 - United Kingdom; DAZN - Canada, beIN Sports HD 1, 2 & 11, SuperSport Premier League ROA, RMC Sport 1, Canal+ France, Star Sports Select 2

Radio: evertontv, TalkSport Radio World, SiriusXM FC, BBC Radio 5 Live

Live stream: Fubo, NBC Sports App, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, Universo Now, BT Sport App, ESPN Play Sur, beIN SPORTS CONNECT, DStv Now, RUSH, Hotstar VIP

Gamethread: Live blog above starting one hour before game time

*Royal Blue Mersey has affiliate partnerships and may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links provided.

Information from LiveSoccerTV.com

Lineups

Everton

Starting XI - Pickford, Godfrey, Mina, Keane, Digne, Allan, Doucoure, Sigurdsson, Rodriguez, Iwobi, Calvert-Lewin

Subs: Olsen, Nkounkou, Gomes, Delph, Davies, Bernard, Gordon

Southampton

Starting XI - McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Vestergaard, Bednarek, Bertrand, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Redmond, Ings, Adams

Subs: Forster, Stephens, Vokins, Diallo, Tella, N’Lundulu, Long

Ref: Kevin Friend VAR: Simon Hooper

Last Meeting

The Blues played the Saints at Goodison Park after the resumption of football following the COVID interruption, and considered themselves quite lucky to pick up a point in a game the visitors dominated.

Previous to that, the Blues had traveled to Southampton in November and made it their first away win of last season in a 2-1 win, with Tom Davies and Richarlison finding the net.