Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl admitted that his team were “unfortunate” to face a goalkeeper in inspired form as Jordan Pickford pulled off some stunning saves at crucial times in the second half to enable Everton to cling on to a 2-1 win at Southampton.
Joe Aribo’s 49th-minute strike put the Saints ahead but the Blues fought back to secure the three points with Conor Coady (52) and Dwight McNeil (54) both netting their first goals for the club before the visitors withstood some heavy pressure from the hosts in the latter stages.
Pickford, winner of the Premier League’s Save of the Month for September with his acrobatic stop to deny Darwin Nunez in the Merseyside derby, was fit again after a thigh injury had kept him out of Everton’s previous Premier League fixture against West Ham United plus England’s UEFA Nations League double header against Italy and Germany. And he showed just why he’s his country’s long-standing number one.
