Ralph Hasenhuttl admitted his Southampton defence were powerless to prevent Richarlison scoring the winner in Monday’s 1-0 defeat to Everton, while speaking to Hampshire Live.
Nine days after he raced in behind the Liverpool backline to fire a laser-like shot into the bottom corner of Alisson’s net, Everton’s Brazil international did something very similar on the other side of Stanley Park.
Once Dominic Calvert-Lewin smashed Mohamed Salisu out of the way and Gylfi Sigurdsson delivered a feather-like through-ball into space, Richarlison never looked like missing.
The in-form 23-year-old rounded Fraser Forster in one smooth movement before slotting the ball into the empty net. That was his fifth goal in just four matches and the sort of strike that is quickly becoming his trademark.
“It was not so good for us. The first goal chance for them was a goal,” Hasenhuttl said after the Samba star consigned Southampton to an eighth defeat in nine Premier League matches.
“A long ball, losing the header against Calvert-Lewin and then Richarlison starting deep and with a deep run he is hard to defend. I think for chances that’s it for Everton.”
Hasenhuttl has a point.
That ninth-minute goal was the only time in the entire match that Everton mustered a shot on target against the Saints.
But, if you can match a ruthless streak at one end with a stirring defensive effort at the other, that will always stand you in good stead.
Jordan Pickford continued his recent resurgence with a dramatic last-gap stop to deny Jannik Vestergaard, while the tireless midfield trio of Andre Gomes, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan ensured that Southampton never had the time or space to craft an equaliser at Goodison Park.
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