EPL: Everton v Southampton preview

Everton v Southampton preview

Southampton manager Mark Hughes insists his relegation-threatened side will not be complacent when they take on Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Southampton secured a massive boost in their bid for safety by beating local rivals Bournemouth last weekend.

The victory was just their second in 22 league matches and was greeted with jubilant celebrations at St Mary's.

Hughes thinks the relief of last Saturday has raised morale on the south coast, but insists it will not lead to complacency with three crucial fixtures remaining.

"I don't think we'll fall into the trap of thinking that we got the job done last weekend because we haven't. Nowhere near it," said Hughes.

"It was a moment in time where we felt that emotion. I think everyone in the stadium felt that emotion and there was an outpouring but I felt it wasn't a bad thing.

"It brought everyone closer, it brought our fans closer to the team and maybe that distance had started to increase over the course of the season.

"For all the emotion that we saw and the fact we were able to at long last please our supporters we have to do it again and we don't want to disappoint our fans by losing at Everton."

In-form opponents Everton sit eighth following just one defeat in seven games, a run which has included four victories, and boss Sam Allardyce is pleased with the quality of performance they have produced in that period.

"It's an entertainment game, you're trying to capture hearts and minds," Allardyce said.

"I think, particularly from a home point of view, that we've achieved that, not just with the results, but the way we've played and the way we've beaten teams.

"Whether the criticism is fair or not, it's something you can't let affect you.

"You have to stay internally within the bounds of what you want to achieve and focus on that, and try and make everybody happy."

Everton will be without Dominic Calvert-Lewin for Southampton's visit this weekend after the forward suffered a small stress fracture in his back, meaning he will miss the final two games of the season.

Defender Mason Holgate has returned to training after an ankle injury, but this game will come too soon, while James McCarthy (broken leg), Gylfi Sigurdsson and Eliaquim Mangala (both knee) remain long-term absentees.

Midfielder Davis, who last featured on April 19, has an Achilles problem and could miss the rest of the season.

Winger Sofiane Boufal is unlikely to be involved following his recent dispute with manager Mark Hughes.