EPL: Southampton 4-1 Everton

Charlie Austin celebrates his goal

Southampton took advantage of a lacklustre Everton to inflict further misery on caretaker manager David Unsworth.

Unsworth continued to splutter through the longest job interview of all-time as he watched his side crash to a 4-1 defeat at the hands of a previously goal-shy Southampton.

A brace for Charlie Austin and goals for Dusan Tadic and Steven Davis provided the ammunition for a side who had scored only six goals at home before the match.

Neither team came into the match in fine fettle, of course. Everton travelled south reeling from a 5-1 Europa League defeat at the hands of Atalanta and made eight changes, while Southampton boasted just four home wins in 2017.

Neither have been unaccustomed to heavy criticism from their own support this season and it would have been no surprise to see both teams start devoid of confidence.

But it wasn't the case. Southampton started brightly, camping themselves in Everton territory and poking away at their penalty area. Bright spurts from James Ward-Prowse and Sofiane Boufal provided some impetus, but it was from set pieces that they were initially at their most dangerous, the Merseysiders seemingly unwilling to compete in the air.

When Austin struck the post on 11 minutes following fine work by the inventive Cedric on the right wing, Southampton's dominance was palpable if not rewarded.

They wouldn't have too wait long. That reward came on 17 minutes when fine defensive work by the maligned Sofiane Boufal set up an opportunity for Southampton to attack. Passes were exchanged on the left-hand side, and an incisive Ryan Bertrand through-ball fell to Tadic to open the deadlock with a bundled finish past the oncoming Jordan Pickford.

For all their huffing and puffing in what possession they could muster, Everton looked a side low on quality.

With Wayne Rooney on the bench, it fell to Gylfi Sigurdsson to provide a sense of driving creativity, a job he clocked in for on the stroke of half-time with a stunning 25-yard strike that was diverted in by the underside of the crossbar, the post and then the crossbar again. From nowhere, Everton had produced a moment of brilliance and entered the break level. If that trademark strike proved to be the Iceland international's only major contribution to the match, the same could not be said of his equivalent Boufal.

The Morocco international has a reputation for inconsistency but this was a stellar performance, offering the home side with a flair and endeavour so often missing from Saints performances this campaign. As half-chances came and went for the home side, it was Boufal and the full backs doing most of the orchestrating along with the boisterous Tadic.

And on 51 minutes it was the left back, Bertrand, who secured his second assist of the afternoon with a perfect front post delivery.

There are few forwards in the Premier League who one would prefer such a chance to fall to than the lively Austin, who glanced home to regain Southampton the advantage and then increased it six minutes later when Tadic was the only player to react to a loose ball on the left by-line. He produced a classy cross every bit as good as Bertrand's, and Austin again headed home with consummate ease to make it 3-1.

With the Toffees toying with capitulation on the hour mark and the world waiting for Rooney's introduction into proceedings, Unsworth turned to young Ademola Lookman to provide the spark needed to get them back into the game.

Southampton dutifully dropped a little deeper to nullify any notion of an Everton comeback. And it was in this limbo that the fixture remained. Everton's pig push never arrived, and such was Southampton's ease in possession, Mauricio Pellegrino felt able to give Austin the standing ovation he so richly deserved on 79 minutes.

Steven Davis' curled effort to make it 4-1 seven minutes later only served to give the scoreline a better reflection of proceedings on a shocking afternoon for the Merseyside club.

Southampton will hope to use this result as a springboard for success this season, but rightly or wrongly the focus will be on another abject Everton performance. Where they go from here remains to be seen.