Everton vs Southampton. Premier League.
Goodison ParkAttendance38,225.
Sunday 6 May 2018 07:25, UK
Tom Davies' 96th-minute equaliser denied Southampton a huge three points in their fight for survival with a 1-1 draw at Everton.
Davies' deflected effort, more than 60 seconds after the four minutes of added time shown had elapsed, was not enough to save Sam Allardyce from a chorus of boos at the full-time whistle at the end of a flat performance from the hosts.
Nathan Redmond, a half-time substitute, had turned Cedric's cross beyond Jordan Pickford from close range (57) with a goal which looked like it would earn the Saints a valuable, and rare, away win.
The visitors looked like keeping Everton at bay even after Maya Yoshida was sent off with five minutes remaining until Davies' late strike, which leaves Southampton outside the relegation zone on goal difference ahead of a trip to 18th-placed Swansea on Tuesday night, live on Sky Sports.
A poor first half was punctuated by two Southampton chances - Charlie Austin testing Pickford from 25 yards, and Oriol Romeu's deflected effort forcing the England international to punch clear.
Everton had just three touches in the Saints box before the break, with Yannick Bolasie's weak header the closest they came to troubling Alex McCarthy - and they were booed off at half-time by much of the home support.
Southampton broke rapidly down the right for the opening goal of the game as Dusan Tadic held the ball before Cedric overlapped, and the full-back's perfect cross gave Redmond a simple finish.
Allardyce then introduced Oumar Niasse within moments of the goal, but there was little improvement in terms of clear-cut chances from the hosts.
They were handed a lifeline when Yoshida, already booked for a foul on Ramiro Funes Mori, slid in on the same player and was given his marching orders by Jon Moss.
Moss added on four minutes at the end of the game, with Southampton looking comfortable even with their man disadvantage - but with almost another minute already played, a free-kick against Redmond was launched forward by Everton, from which Davies' deflected 20-yard shot broke Southampton hearts.
That goal keeps West Brom's survival hopes alive until Tuesday night at least, while Southampton's trip to Swansea in midweek looks increasingly do-or-die.
Despite only arriving at the interval, Redmond took the game by the scruff of the neck, scoring the goal that looked like proving a shot in the arm for Southampton's fight for survival, and having more shots (4) than any player on the pitch.
Redmond looked a different player to the one who has gone all season without scoring - and despite touching the ball only 26 times, he changed the game and provided the creative spark the visitors had been missing.
Southampton travel to 18th-placed Swansea on Tuesday night, while Everton play their final game of the season next Sunday at West Ham, Allardyce's former club.