You suspect that if Everton are to dispatch the disappointments of last season, then Roberto Martinez’s side will need the likes of Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku to reproduce the kind of performances that earned a thoroughly professional 3-0 victory away to Southampton in Saturday’s early kick-off.
The Toffees travelled to Saint Mary’s having failed to win in any of their previous six visits and with only one clean sheet in their last 17 Premier League away games. Added to that, in Lukaku, they had a club-record signing that has struggled to find the back of the net on a consistent basis in recent times. In fact, prior to kick-off, the Belgium international only had four goals in his last 23 Premier League appearances.
However, any feeling of discontent among the Everton fans were well and truly banished come the full-time whistle after a first-half brace from Lukaku and a late Barkley strike was enough to earn Martinez’s side their first win of the season and to lift them into second place on four points, albeit momentarily.
As for Southampton, they have real concerns and Ronald Koeman – back in the Saints dugout for the first time following Achilles surgery – will be desperately hoping to have summer signing Jordy Clasie available for selection as soon as possible to help plug their toothless midfield.
The absence of Morgan Schneiderlin, who joined Manchester United earlier in the summer, was clear for all to see on the South coast. The loss of the France international was always going to have repercussions, but Koeman would not have wanted the consequences to be quite so clear after just two matches. After all, this is a midfielder that entered this season having made more tackles and interceptions combined (626) than any other player in the last three Premier League campaigns, and Schneiderlin’s ability to break down opposition attacks was sorely missed on this occasion.
Steven Davis, naturally a more creative player, was chosen to drop into Schneiderlin’s old position, but failed to reproduce a performance that would have made his predecessor proud, finishing the match having completed just one tackle and one interception. The game was already over by the time summer signing Oriol Romeu was introduced after the break.
Despite a dominant Everton performance, it was actually the home side that started brightest, with Graziano Pelle proving a menace in the Everton penalty area. In fact, three of the four aerial duels Pelle won came inside the Toffees’ penalty box, but none of his teammates could latch onto some smart knockdowns by the Italian.
Everton overcame that tricky passage and only grew into the match. John Stones - seemingly unaffected by reports linking him with a move to Chelsea - was colossal alongside Phil Jagielka in the middle of Everton’s defence, providing the foundations for a thoroughly professional performance.
In fact, Everton’s opener actually stemmed from a Southampton corner. In the 46 seconds that had elapsed from Tim Howard’s smart save to deny Saido Mane, the away side had charged down the opposite end of the pitch and opened their account. Arouna Kone, in from the start, provided a sumptuous cross to the back post for Lukaku to open his account for the season and, in doing so, becoming the most prolific Belgian in Premier League history with 43 goals. He wouldn’t have to wait long before making it 44.
Lukaku’s dominant performance echoed similalrities to ones Everton fans saw during his first season at the club, where he scored 15 league goals. On the stroke of half time he would have his second. This time he started the move with superb hold up play on the half way line before sweeping Barkley’s through ball first time from the edge of the area. This season offers to be huge for both players and they have started the season in fine form, and it would only get better as the match progressed.
The introduction of Romeu after the interval gave Koeman’s side more control, but they would only have Pelle’s fierce drive after 53 minutes and a thunderous long range effort from Mane to show for in the second half.
Instead, Lukaku and Barkley continued to dominate proceedings. Both players were unstoppable at times and Barkley was deserving of his second goal of the season, with England manager Roy Hodgson watching on with glee from the stands.
With just seven minutes remaining, Barkley wrapped up back-to-back away league wins for Everton for the first time since March-April 2014. The England international, fresh from his goal after Watford last week, was left one-on-one with Cedric Soares inside the Southampton area, before fainting inside and curling beyond a helpless Maarten Stekelenburg.
Unsurprisingly, Lukaku (9.4) and Barkley (8.8) finished the match with the highest WhoScored ratings, and with Everton promising at least three more significant signings before the transfer window slams shut in a fortnight's time, this season could be one that offers real promise if Martinez’s talismanic forwards can maximise their potential.
Was last season just a blip for Everton or will they underachieve again this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
