Allardyce: Everton have captured hearts and minds

A game which the Saints would have entered in the hope of not losing turned into a game where maximum points were a realistic aim.

He has found it hard to emphatically revive Southampton’s fortunes since taking over from Mauricio Pellegrino in March, but victory over Bournemouth last weekend was a major boost and this result buys them more time.

Thanks Big Sam. but no thanks. But fast forward to the aftermath of today’s 1-1 draw with Southampton – pause on some of his comments after the poorer results in the interim as well to sharpen the picture – and not much has changed; he is saying essentially the same thing now as then.

Allardyce’s admission that Everton’s main aim should be to maintain their current position position in the Premier League should be evidence that he shouldn’t be kept on. Any other result would mean relegation. Football is a harsh business and when supporters are clearly against you there is usually only one outcome.

It was an unadventurous first-half from both sides with the first shot on target coming in the 20th-minute. Austin leads the team with seven goals, including a brace earlier this season against Everton.

It was cruel end for the visitors, who finished the match with 10 men after Maya Yoshida’s 85th-minute red card.

Everton: Pickford 7, Coleman 7, Keane 6, Jagielka 6, Baines 7, Gueye 6, Schneiderlin 6, Vlasic 6, Davies 6, Bolasie 5, Tosun 6.

Austin’s 20-yard half volley was palmed to safety by the 24-year-old goalkeeper.

He whiped in a wonderful first time right footed cross which found Redmond in acres of space at the far post. Yoshida receives a second yellow for barging into Niasse.

Weak defending has pock-marked Southampton’s season, and it again blighted them just before half-time, just as they were looking in command. Neither side was able to make the breakthrough within the 90 minutes, but Jake Livermore’s stoppage-time goal against his former club earned the Baggies their third win under caretaker boss Darren Moore. Heartbreak for the Saints.

Klaassen was subbed on, nearly as a show of how bad the season has been, for just his sixth Premier League appearance of the season.

Mark Hughes was similarly upset, believing questionable decisions from referee Jon Moss cost Southampton a two-point buffer to 18th-placed Swansea City, although his side did move out of the relegation zone.