Intro and Team News

IBO Reporter - channonite

Intro

|Everton have never been a team that Saints have been able to cope with that well and that goes back years, home and away. I always remember the black day at Goodison Park many years ago, where Stevie Williams and Peter Osgood both got sent off. The full back, John Bailey was held responsible by Saints fans and forever after he got incessantly booed, even when he got a move to Blackburn some time later.

The omens are not looking too good this season, with both Richarlison and Dele Alli likely to be in the Everton side. Both have shown an unnatural habit of being able to score every time their sides have met us. Add to that the fact that recently appointed manager Frank Lampard seems to have reinvigorated a hitherto moribund Everton and is also related to 'Arry Redknapp and things were not looking too promising.

Thankfully this is football and Saints recent form probably trumps all the above. Lampard is a decent manager though and not to be underestimated.

Team News

|When the team was announced it was immediately clear that the rumours of an injury to Perraud were probably right, as the only change was Livramento coming in at right back, with Ward-Prowse shifting across to left back. There was no sign of the Frenchman on the bench. Everybody else was as the starting line-up at the last game against Manchester United away.

Match Report

IBO Reporter : channonite

|After the excitement of Storm Eunice ripping through the South of England the day before the match, things were a bit calmer getting to Southampton on the Saturday morning, but not by much. Rain, wind and heavy traffic everywhere. Still, come kick off, the rain had gone and the sun came out. Oddly prophetic I thought.

The rest of the report will follow dreckly...