A fragile Southampton nearly glued back the pieces, but Everton shattered hearts with a late goal at St Mary’s.
Danny Ings scored his seventh of the season to cancel out Mason Holgate’s opener, but Richarlison sublimely finished on the volley 15 minutes from full-time to give Everton a 2-1 Premier League win.
Southampton slipped to 19th in the league table joint with Watford, but below the Hornets on goal difference through 12 matches played.
Yerry Mina and Djribril Sidibe narrowly avoided giving away penalties, with the former escaping what could’ve been a stonewall call if VAR had come into play.
James Ward-Prowse had the chance to put Saints ahead, but could only sting the gloves of a diving Jordan Pickford from the ensuing free-kick.
Richarlison then met Sidibe’s long cross from the right on the volley to give Everton a 2-1 lead, which was enough to secure all three points.
Southampton: McCarthy: Cedric (Boufal 46), Vestergaard, Stephens, Bednarek, Armstrong (Obafemi 90+1), Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Djenepo, Redmond (Adams 81), Ings
Unused subs: Gunn (GK), Yoshida, Danso, Valery, Boufal, Obafemi, Adams
Goals: Ings (50)
Bookings: Boufal (88)
Everton: Pickford, Digne, Holgate, Mina, Sidibe, Schneiderlin, Davies, Richarlison (Keane 89), Sigurdsson, Walcott (Iwobi 74), Tosun (Calvert-Lewin 74)
Unused subs: Lossl (GK), Keane, Baines, Coleman, Gordon
Goals: Davies (4), Richarlison (75)
Bookings: Sidibe (65)