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Everton v Southampton: Blues need three more points

By Matt Townsend

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 18: James Ward-Prowse of Southampton controls the ball ahead of Leighton Baines of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Southampton FC at Goodison Park on August 18, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 18: James Ward-Prowse of Southampton controls the ball ahead of Leighton Baines of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Southampton FC at Goodison Park on August 18, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) /
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This Saturday Everton travel to Hampshire to take on Southampton. So can the Blues claim another vital three points?

Everton could make it a south coast double if they beat the Saints having overcome, (albeit pretty unconvincingly), their near-neighbours Bournemouth last weekend at Goodison Park.

As for their opponents, they have enjoyed the somewhat traditional positive bounce teams tend to get when they appoint a new manager.

Ralph Hassenhuttl’s arrival as the new boss from the German Bundesliga has certainly seen Southampton improve. Although they have only won one of their last six matches and have struggled to score goals consistently.

But despite Everton’s victory over their local rivals last Sunday, Southampton will view this game as very much one they can win. Their recent record against Everton, especially at St Mary’s, is pretty good, while the Toffees have been struggling.

They also have in Danny Ings a striker with a very irritating habit of finding the net against the Blues. Evertonians will recall he scored their goal at Goodison back in August when the two sides met early in the season.

So this is a match that could prove to be another difficult and potentially troublesome one for the Blues.

Everton have not travelled well generally this season and the last time they were on the south coast they lost 1-0 at Brighton.

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In fact the Blues have only managed two away wins in the Premier League thus far at Leicester City and Burnley. Mind you they haven’t exactly been making up for it with their home form recently either.

Going onto the game the Toffees don’t seem to have any injury problems so Marco Silva has a fully fit squad to pick from. So I assume he will go with the same side that started against Bournemouth.

It’s important Everton approach this match in a positive way and look to take the points while continuing the tentative improvement in form they showed last weekend.