SEAMUS COLEMAN’S FINE goalscoring form this season has continued today at Goodison Park as helped Everton defeat Southampton.
An excellent individual effort by the Ireland international saw him net for the fifth time this season in the Premier League as he ensured Everton lead Southampton 1-0 early on.
Coleman’s 9th minute strike also means he has scored in three of his last four games for Everton. Not bad going for a right-back.
Everton held the lead until the 71st minute when a long-range screamer from Gaston Ramirez brought Southampton level.
But Everton’s lead was quickly restored with another Irish international James McCarthy involved in a move that culminated with Romelu Lukaku putting Everton into a 2-1 lead. That strike by the Belgian forward was the match-winner and ensured Everton bounced back from their defeat to Sunderland on Thursday.
Martinez made five changes to his starting line-up from the surprise loss against Sunderland with England left-back Leighton Baines returning after a broken toe.
Captain Phil Jagielka was missing due to a hamstring injury, so defender Antolin Alcaraz came in for his Toffees debut.
Goalkeeper Tim Howard and midfielder Gareth Barry were also absent due to suspension, so Joel Robles made his first Everton Premier League start in between the posts.
Everton certainly looked no weaker than usual in the early stages as Coleman’s third goal in four games fired them into the lead in the ninth minute.
The Republic of Ireland international collected the ball from Leon Osman, advanced down the right flank and then cut into the box, beating James Ward-Prowse in the process, before driving a powerful shot beyond Kelvin Davis.
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In the 18th minute, Steven Naismith chased a long ball over the top and, as Davis caught it, the Everton forward went to ground in the area having felt contact from Dejan Lovren, but no penalty was given.
Having juggled the ball into space on the edge of the area, Southampton’s Adam Lallana dragged a shot wide and Ward-Prowse looped another effort off-target.
Southampton drew level in the 71st minute as Ramirez collected the ball from Lallana and sent a dipping effort goalwards that seemed to elude Spanish goalkeeper Robles too easily on its way into the net.
Robles will have surely been relieved to have seen Everton’s advantage restored three minutes later.
Having received the ball from substitute Steven Pienaar as the Toffees swept forward, James McCarthy neatly set up Lukaku, who smashed home past Davis from 12 yards.
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