Southampton inflicted more misery on Everton with a 4-1 hammering.

A comfortable win for the Saints began on 18 minutes when Dusan Tadic broke held off Leighton Baines for a through ball before sliding past Jordan Pickford.

Everton switched to a back three as Baines limped off and were level on the stroke of half time when, out of seemingly nothing, Gylfi Sigurdsson curlied home on the edge of the area.

But David Unsworth’s side were trailing again at St Mary’s shortly after the break as Charlie Austin eluded Ashley Williams to head home a Ryan Bertrand cross.

Six minutes later, Austin replicated his first goal to power past Pickford as before Steven Davis compounded the Blues’ misery just three minutes from time.

Here were the key talking points from the South Coast:

Time to finally pick a manager

 

The gap witnessed between these two teams at St Mary’s was clear.

Southampton started the game switched on and ready, whereas a manager-less Everton looked like their heads were still firmly on the team bus.

They need actual guidance and, above all, a permanent manager to provide it.

There was a lack of effort, plan, and focus from David Unsworth’s team as they failed to create any genuine chances across this 90-minute ordeal.

While the Saints continued to grow in confidence, admittedly helped by the score line, Everton are struggling to find their any for themselves.

When a team struggling to score are able to help themselves to four goals against you, it suggests that a serious problem is now at the fore.

Unsworth may end up being the next Everton manager, even if the current run is not helping his case, but only a clear sense of direction will end this slump.

Blues lack any genuine threat

 

Everton’s summer spending provided former manager Ronald Koeman with a variety of attacking options but this performance hardly supported that theory.

The visitors struggled to create any chances in the first half, and relied on a slice of magic from Gylfi Sigurdsson to keep them in the game until that point.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin looks bright, but was still out of sorts; passes were sloppy and he struggled to genuinely trouble Virgil van Dijk and the Saints’ backline.

However, Everton still created little, if any real attacking threat in general. Wayne Rooney stayed on the bench, but not even he is the answer to this deficiency.

Pickford still a glimmer of hope

 

Only Jordan Pickford emerged with any real credit on the South Coast, making a habit of shining in struggling teams with his rapid rise in the goalkeeping ranks.

More than an all-luminous orange kit made him stand out against Southampton. He continues to appear a bright, stable and most importantly, a safe stopper.

With the shaky defence in front of him, Pickford does well to look so secure in his place, and pulled off a fine save from Shane Long in the 82nd minute.

Whichever new manager Everton appoint would do well to build on Pickford’s success and give a bright young player the opportunity to show he can step up.

Dressing room needs a wake-up call

 

Southampton controlled the first half with ease, and dominated possession.

With Idrissa Gueye and Morgan Schneiderlin failing to impose themselves in midfield, they had complete free reign and regularly pushed forward at will.

More generally there is a lack of awareness from Everton, and the way Austin was so easily able to find space for his two goals only only goes to expose it.

Clearly this team lacks confidence, and the current form is only feeding this further.

But lapsing in basic duties should have alarm bells ringing in the dressing room.