Everton vs Southampton match report: Toffees miss chance to lift season as Sadio Mane strike sees points shared

Everton 1 Southampton 1: Toffees led through Ramiro Funes Mori's second-half strike only for Mane to equalise minutes later

Sadio Mane scores Southampton's equaliser (Getty)

It was all too much for some Everton fans. At half-time, with the players walking off and the match still goalless, one supporter got out a white handkerchief and waved it angrily in the direction of manager Roberto Martinez, as if at the Bernabeu.

Then, as Southampton celebrated Sadio Mane’s equaliser inside the final 20 minutes, another fan ran on to the pitch to confront Martinez, before being dragged away by stewards.

There may be an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United at Wembley to look forward to next weekend, but the Goodison Park faithful’s antipathy towards their manager is reaching toxic status. Everton managers have ridden high levels of disenchantment and survived to prosper before; the late Howard Kendall is proof of that. Patience with the current incumbent, though, has almost worn away.

Everton’s fans are frustrated that Martinez, having assembled a squad of such talent, has guided them into the bottom half of the Premier League table. It does not help that their home form has been dreadful; the Goodison regulars turn up expecting the worst, and the atmosphere bears that out.

For a few minutes midway through the second half, it looked as though the gloom would be lifted, as Ramiro Funes Mori drove in a goal midway. Yet as Mane scored for a visiting team with hopes of Europa League qualification, the blue mood returned with a vengeance.

Ramiro Funes Mori scores the opening goal for Everton (Getty)

Over 90 minutes, Southampton were the better side, although Martinez helped them by leaving Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley on the bench with Wembley, and perhaps Wednesday’s Merseyside derby, in mind.

Ronald Koeman has constructed a disciplined side, who press high up the pitch, and who recover their shape quickly when they lose possession. The wonder was how they managed to get to half-time without scoring. Dusan Tadic hooked just over the bar when well placed, Ryan Bertrand had a free-kick tipped aside by Joel Robles, and Shane Long glanced a header against the inside of the far post.

Even the loss of their captain Jose Fonte with a head injury shortly before the interval did not disturb their rhythm. Instead, they continued to ensure that Martinez’s side never felt comfortable in possession.

Everton’s defence was under pressure consistently, and a midfield of Darron Gibson and Muhamed Besic struggled to provide adequate protection. Gibson, making his first Premier League start for 13 months, was booked shortly before half-time after a wild hack at Long. It summed up the extent to which the home team were finding it difficult to keep pace.

Southampton did have to survive the odd scary moment in the opening half; goalkeeper Fraser Forster was fortunate to escape unpunished after dropping an early Bryan Oviedo free-kick under no pressure, and Fonte made a brave block to stop Kevin Mirallas’ hook goalwards from a Gerard Deulofeu cross, at the end of what was Everton’s best first-half move.

Everton's celebrations were short lived after Funes Mori scored only for Mane to equalise minutes later (Getty)

This was a tough afternoon for Martinez’s side, who needed resilience, and a dollop of fortune, to keep the visitors out. Tadic’s quick feet bamboozled Oviedo early in the second half; the Serbian midfielder cutting in from the right on to his left foot to thunder a shot against the crossbar.

Having ridden the pressure, and their luck, Everton managed to find a way to goal with a quarter of the match to play. Funes Mori found space for a header from Oviedo’s corner and, when the centre-back’s effort was blocked, he drove in the loose ball via a deflection off Ryan Bertrand. The relief was palpable. It was, however, temporary.

Southampton drew level quickly; Tadic burst into the area on to Long’s return pass, and the ball broke loose for Mane to sweep in from seven yards. Maybe the trips to Anfield and Wembley over the next week will do Everton good; right now, they look desperate to get away from home.

Teams

Everton: Robles; Coleman (Connolly 54), Stones, Funes Mori, Oviedo; Gibson (Davies 83), Besic; Deulofeu (Barkley 64), Osman, Mirallas; Kone.

Southampton: Forster; Martina, Fonte (Yoshida 38), Van Dijk, Bertrand; Clasie, Wanyama (Rodriguez 72); Tadic, Long, Mane; Pelle (Davis 64).

Referee: Craig Pawson (Sheffield, S Yorks)