Everton player ratings as one terrible and more poor in dreadful Southampton loss

Everton were left to rue a string of missed chances at St Mary’s as newly-promoted Southampton snatched a first win back in the top flight thanks to Adam Armstrong’s 85th minute goal coming just seconds after Blues substitute Beto had rattled the crossbar at the other end of the pitch. Orel Mangala – with a shot from outside the area – Jesper Lindstrom, with a free kick, and substitute Jack Harrison all had good opportunities to fire Sean Dyche’s side ahead.

However, Everton could not find a way through with home keeper Aaron Ramsdale in fine form, and suffered a first defeat since the Saints knocked them out of the Carabao Cup on September 17, having gone five Premier League fixtures without losing.

Jordan Pickford 6

Will have been furious with the amount of time and space Adam Armstrong was given to score, having earlier keeping out a low ball across the box from him in what had been an assured display.

READ MORE: Southampton vs Everton LIVE - Armstrong goal, score, and commentary stream

Ashley Young 7

Didn’t deserve to be on the losing side, a really canny display from the veteran right-back making his 400th Premier League start, he made several timely interceptions, including one early on to stop Matheus Fernandes in his tracks and got a whack for his troubles but won’t be pleased with how he was left in a foot race one-on-one against Archer.

Vitalii Mykolenko 4

Went AWOL for the goal, he’d been an accident waiting to happen all day and is still not back to his best, having his hands full trying to deal with the threat of Armstrong and Southampton’s other forward runners with some of his positioning well off.

James Tarkowski 6

Set up Beto for his headed chance and then the goal that was disallowed for offside, he made a crucial second half block to deflect Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ goalbound effort and put himself about in typically robust fashion, being booked earlier on for a hefty challenge on Cameron Archer.

Michael Keane 7

Denied another spectacular goal on his travels when he flung himself at full stretch to meet a Lindstrom cross with a diving header which Aaron Ramsdale pushed onto the post, he read the game well and was aerially dominant but was booked for a challenge on Archer.

Idrissa Gueye 7

Was in the thick of things all day, a real energetic, all-action display in the engine room from the experienced campaigner.

Orel Mangala 6

Denied early in the second half when he let fly from outside the area only for Ramsdale to palm his effort over the bar, he looked solid as the sitter in a double pivot with Gueye with a more languid style as his partner buzzed around him.

Jesper Lindstrom 6

Grew into the game after a difficult start when his touch let him down several times, Ramsdale palmed one of his curling free kicks away, while he also picked out Keane for his diving header and he was a threat with his pace.

Dwight McNeil 7

Overcame a late fitness check to be involved, he was bright and breezy and one of Everton’s most creative outlets, picking out Harrison for his chance.

Iliman Ndiaye 6

Looked lively down the left wing but nothing really came off for him today as he best chance, cutting in on his right foot the way he likes, ending up as a tame effort into Ramsdale’s arms and having pulled up off the ball early on, he may have been carrying a knock.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin 6

A frustrating afternoon for Everton’s number nine as he put himself about and linked up well with those around him but no clearcut chances fell his way before he was hooked just after the hour mark.

Jack Harrison (on 62 for Ndiaye) 6

A lively cameo in the final half an hour, he latched onto a cross from McNeil but agonisingly dragged his shot wide.

Beto (on 62 for Calvert-Lewin) 7

Desperately unfortunate, he finished smartly to seemingly equalise for Everton but the replays showed him to be offside having earlier been denied a goal when his header rattled the crossbar.

Jarrad Branthwaite (on 88 for Lindstrom)

Only entered the fray late on when Sean Dyche responded to going a goal down by replacing a winger with a centre-back.