Lukaku Ensures Blues Finish 2013 On a High

Romelu Lukaku ended a run of five games with the winner against Southampton as the Blues end the year in fourth.

Everton 2 - 1 Southampton

After that bitterly disappointing Boxing Day defeat to Sunderland, anything short of three points would have seriously dented Everton's Champions League charge but, in a hugely encouraging demonstration of their character and ability, Roberto Martinez's much-changed team came through with a vital victory.

Not for the first time this season, the Blues responded to the ceding of an equalising goal by kicking into a higher gear and scoring again themselves in fine fashion, Romelu Lukaku ending his mini-drought with a sweeping finish with 16 minutes to go.

The Belgian's ninth goal of the season was a worthy winner of a tightly- and keenly-contested match between two good teams who play with very similar styles. Indeed, perhaps because of the evenness of the match-up and the evidence of some mental fatigue among Everton's players, it felt for long periods like this game was going to end up with honours even.

Certainly, the Blues lacked their usual composure and organisation and, with their insistence on playing loose passes in front of their penalty area, they seemed to be constantly toeing a tightrope above the kind of calamity that was their undoing against Sunderland on Thursday. The Premier League's best defence held firm, though, the breach coming from a blistering 30-yard strike by Gaston Ramirez that embarrassed Joel Robles and threatened to earn Mauricio Pocchettino's side a point.

A draw would not have flattered Saints who achieved the rare feat of finishing a game at Goodison with the lion's share of possession. But just two shots on target in the 90 minutes told the story of how little they troubled Robles, thanks largely to the home side's excellent defence. With Phil Jagielka ruled out with an apparent hamstring strain, Antolin Alcaraz slotted into central defence with the same calm assurance of the man he replaced to form a solid partnership with Sylvain Distin.

Leighton Baines made his anticipated return from a broken toe at left back, Bryan Oviedo moving forward to left midfield as Steven Pienaar started the match on the substitute's bench, but it was the other fullback, Seamus Coleman, who lit up the contest after just eight minutes with another stunning individual goal.

Everton had already threatened with a lovely move in which the Irishman had been involved, playing a low cross for Ross Barkley to finish off a move he had started with a trademark surging run from the halfway line, but the 20 year-old couldn't get enough power to beat Kelvin Davis.

But Coleman took matters into his own hands five minutes later when he drove towards the Southampton area, glided past James Ward-Prowse before smashing the ball into the top corner from the angle. It was a delicious goal that further cements his burgeoning reputation as one of the finest right backs in the Premier League and one of the best bargains in history.

In response, the visitors settled into a pattern of possession-based probing but they made few inroads in the Everton defence until the last few minutes of the first half. Adam Lallana's impressive control and flick past Distin put him in with a gilt-edged chance to level before the break but he pulled his shot wide of goal. And Ricky Lambert couldn't capitalise on a rare cock-up by Distin in his own box, bouncing a tame shot straight at Robles.

Being used to their side being so dominant with the ball, the Goodison crowd betrayed some nerves in the second half as Southampton continued their quest for an equaliser, often looking more like the home side than Everton. Indeed, in the 15 minutes either side of half time, the Blues' main threat had come from on the counter-attack.

The Saints had survived a dangerous moment when Oviedo popped up completely free in their area but Jose Fonte cut out Lukaku's attempt to find him with a cross from the right in the 37th minute. And a sweeping break by Everton 10 minutes after the restart so nearly brought a second goal as Lukaku released Oviedo with a terrific pass down the left and Barkley just missed with a side-footed finish from the Costa Rican's cut-back from the byline.

The unease among the home support was not helped by uncharacteristic sloppiness from Everton in central areas where they were giving the ball away or playing themselves into trouble with annoying regularity. Southampton were able to exploit the Gareth Barry-sized hole in front the Blues' back four too often for comfort and though he still managed to emerge from the game with enormous credit and an assist for the winner, James McCarthy had arguably his worst game since joining from Wigan in terms of his distribution. If nothing else, that underscores just how good a player he is and what a signing he has proved to be.

The 23 year-old was almost caught out with an awful pass straight to Jay Rodriguez in the 56th minute but, typically, raced back to atone for the error by diverting Lallana's cross safely into Robles' arms. 11 minutes later, the Blues' number 16 was in the right place at the right time to deflect Rodriguez's shot a yard wide as the Gwladys Street end held it's breath.

Playing in place of the suspended Tim Howard, Robles was tentative at times, not least when he and Distin got into a mix-up from a 67th-minute corner and the goalkeeper almost spilled the ball to the feet of Lambert but he pounced on the loose ball in time.

Huge question marks were raised four minutes after that, though, when Southampton equalised. Ramirez, a second-half substitute for the visitors in place of Jack Cork, tried an audacious shot from just shy of 30 yards having side-stepped McCarthy and the ball flew between Robles' hands with the 'keeper somehow failing to get any contact on it.

1-1 and, once again, an opportunity for the Everton of old to re-emerge and battle to hold onto a point at a time of the season where psychology can so often be the biggest enemy. Martinez responded immediately by withdrawing Osman for Kevin Mirallas, though, and the Blues were back in the lead within four minutes.

It was a superbly-worked goal, too. Baines fed Steven Pienaar, who had replaced Oviedo on the left flank after an hour, and he picked out the run of McCarthy with a perfectly-weighted throughball that caught the Saints defence cold with just Fonte back in a central position. McCarthy flicked the ball to his right with the outside of his boot to meet the run of Lukaku and he swept it home, first time.

2-1, the lead re-established and this time the Blues looked more comfortable and assured in defending it because Southampton didn't threaten much after that. Indeed, it was Everton who looked more likely to kill the game off which they almost did through Lukaku. The striker looked a player reborn after the goal and after being denied by a couple of close offside calls, he displayed wonderful feet on the edge of thre Saints box to dance past a couple of red shirts before clipping a shot just over the crossbar from 18 yards.

And Davis had to be alert with a minute to go when the ball fell to Lukaku's feet after good work by Mirallas and he side-footed towards the bottom corner but the 'keeper pushed the ball behind on the stretch.

So, three enormously important points that see the Blues back to winning ways and positioned in fourth place heading into the New Year. The performance failed to hit the heights again but in this intense period of games coming in quick succession, the results are often more important that the quality of the football.

Martinez made some brave selection decisions, not least to start Steven Naismith ahead of Mirallas, but he was rewarded with an excellent shift from the Scotsman and aided by the freshness offered by his substitutes that helped win the game. The Spaniard will be very pleased with an accomplished display from Alcaraz who looked like he has been playing alongside Distin all season long but he will also be thankful to get Barry back for the trip to Stoke on New Year's Day because the midfield certainly looked less assured without him.

With the top three starting to look ominous in their recent form, that trip down the M6 to the Potteries takes on real importance as Everton look to stay in touch with Arsenal, City and Chelsea but Martinez's men have shown a resilience and potency away from home in recent weeks that means they will travel in confidence. As has become the mantra this season: just keep winning.

Follow @Everton1an

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