{"id":377863,"date":"2017-11-26T18:10:41","date_gmt":"2017-11-26T18:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=377863"},"modified":"2017-11-26T18:11:02","modified_gmt":"2017-11-26T18:11:02","slug":"southampton-4-1-everton-saints-thump-hapless-toffees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/11\/southampton-4-1-everton-saints-thump-hapless-toffees\/","title":{"rendered":"Southampton 4-1 Everton: Saints thump hapless Toffees"},"content":{"rendered":"
Everton caretaker manager David Unsworth said “things have to change quickly” at the club after their poor run continued with a 4-1 defeat at Southampton.<\/p>\n
Saints striker Charlie Austin scored two second-half\u00a0headers on\u00a0his first league start of the season as the Toffees capitulated after half-time.<\/p>\n
They have now won only once in seven games under Unsworth.<\/p>\n
“It’s killing me,” said the 44-year-old former Everton defender, who urged the board to quickly appoint a permanent manager.<\/p>\n
“I take responsibility, but we all have to as well. We’re in a tough place and things have to change quickly.”<\/p>\n
Unsworth said the performance at St Mary’s was “not acceptable” and the team need to “get back to basics”.<\/p>\n
He added: “Confidence is as low as it has ever been. The club has to decide and the sooner that happens the better. The players need this resolving.<\/p>\n
“What I see is a happy squad but I’d rather have an unhappy squad that’s winning. I want what’s best for the club and I hope the players do too.”<\/p>\n
Dusan Tadic gave the hosts an early lead but Everton’s record signing Gylfi Sigurdsson levelled just before the break.<\/p>\n
After Austin’s double, Steven Davis scored from the edge of the box to wrap up\u00a0victory\u00a0for the Saints, who had previously scored only six league goals at home this season.<\/p>\n
Mauricio Pellegrino’s men produced a vibrant attacking display that should lift the pressure on the Argentine after his side failed to muster a shot on target in the 3-0 defeat by Liverpool.<\/p>\n
With Ryan Bertrand and Cedric Soares offering a constant threat down the flanks, and Austin intent on making his mark, the Saints could have scored more.<\/p>\n
Austin hit the post after 11 minutes following tenacious work out wide from Soares, and defender Virgil van Dijk headed wide on 40 minutes following James Ward-Prowse’s corner.<\/p>\n
Capitulation follows capitulation for Everton<\/strong><\/p>\n Everton are now winless in 15 Premier League away games and remain two points above the bottom three<\/strong><\/p>\n This defeat came just three days after a 5-1 loss to Atalanta in the Europa League, and ex-Everton striker Gary Lineker described the club as\u00a0“a shambles”<\/i>\u00a0as they collapsed at St Mary’s.<\/p>\n The Toffees seem rudderless on and off the pitch, and former defender Unsworth has been unable to add any stability since Ronald Koeman was sacked in October.<\/p>\n Everton\u00a0have\u00a0now conceded 28 goals in the Premier League this season – their worst tally after 13 games since 1958-59.<\/p>\n Their only win under Unsworth came on 5 November against Watford, whose manager Marco Silva has been a target for the Toffees.<\/p>\n But, with the Portuguese seemingly now off the agenda, it is difficult to work out if the club had a plan for life after Koeman.<\/p>\n A worrying lack of clarity over their manager search is echoed on the pitch, where capitulation follows capitulation and the players’ body language looks increasingly forlorn.<\/p>\n Something has to give and fast – because they are playing like a side with very real prospects of going down.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n Source: BBC Sport<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Everton caretaker manager David Unsworth said “things have to change quickly” at the club after their poor run continued with a 4-1 defeat at Southampton. Saints striker Charlie Austin scored two second-half\u00a0headers on\u00a0his first league start of the season as the Toffees capitulated after half-time. They have now won only once in seven games under […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":377864,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[142],"tags":[144,163,1622],"yoast_head":"\n