Everton won at Southampton today, thanks to two goals from Romelu Lukaku and a strike from Ross Barkley.
Here’s a brief lowdown of the game at St Mary’s.
TWEET OF THE MATCH
What's Lukaku had for breakfast today?? ... This is more like it #EFC👌🏽⚽️💙
— Michelle Hinnigan (@MichelleHinni) August 15, 2015
STAR PLAYER
Ross Barkley: Ran the show in front of England manager Roy Hodgson.
Capitalised on the space afforded to him, setting up Romelu Lukaku’s second and curling home a superb goal at the end.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
Romelu Lukaku: After Tim Howard produced a fine save to deny Sadio Mane, Everton broke at pace and the Belgian headed home a wonderful opener.
Lukaku added a second but it was his pre-match actions that proved the moment of the match.
Having hit a woman in the stands during the warm-up, he ran up to check she was okay and gave her a hug and a shirt.
VIEW FROM THE BENCH
Saints manager Ronald Koeman – back on the bench after Achilles surgery – again named an attacking line-up, but his side looked unbalanced against Everton. Roberto Martinez’s side proved a handful throughout and ruthlessly exposed the space afforded to them in midfield.
MOAN OF THE MATCH
A number of Everton fans let themselves down by singing through Southampton’s pre-match tribute to the late Markus Liebherr.
The Swiss entrepreneur saved Saints from liquidation and the club remembered their former owner five years after his passing.
WHO’S UP NEXT?
Everton v Manchester City (Premier League, Sunday 23 August)
Southampton v FC Midtjylland (Europa League play-offs Thursday 20 August)
PLAYER RATINGS
Southampton
Maarten Stekelenburg: 6 (out of 10)
Cedric Soares: 6
Maya Yoshida: 5
Jose Fonte: 6
Matt Targett: 6
Steven Davis: 6
Victor Wanyama: 6
Dusan Tadic: 6
Shane Long: 6
Sadio Mane: 7
Graziano Pelle: 6
Subs
Oriol Romeu: 6
Jay Rodriguez: 6
James Ward-Prowse: 6
Everton
Tim Howard: 7
Seamus Coleman: 7
John Stones: 7
Phil Jagielka: 7
Brendon Galloway: 6
James McCarthy: 7
Gareth Barry: 6
Arouna Kone: 7
Ross Barkley: 8
Tom Cleverley: 7
Romelu Lukaku: 8
Subs
Steven Naismith: 6
Tyias Browning: 6
Gerard Deulofeu: 6