Southampton's faint Champions League hopes took a real blow on Saturday as Phil Jagielka scored the only goal of the game from a corner, to hand Everton a 1-0 win at Goodison Park.
The Saints looked like the better team for much of the match, but their failure to level up after Jagielka's 16th minute goal meant that they missed the opportunity to leapfrog Liverpool into 5th.
The first chance of the game fell to Southampton striker Graziano Pelle, looking to continue the form that saw him score against England midweek, as Tim Howard sprang into action to make a fine save from the Italian's header.
Jagielka then put the hosts ahead, against the run of play, as he bundled the ball in from a corner. Fit again Leighton Baines swung the ball in to Gareth Barry, who pushed the ball back across the goal as Jagielka swept it into the net with 16 minutes on the clock.
Young midfielder James Ward-Prowse led the charge for the visitors, coming close not one but two times before the interval. One of his trademark free kick's curled just wide of the post, before he forced Howard into a good one handed save with a swerving strike.
Everton's defence proved to be stubborn in the second half, with Southampton dominating possession. Not that the home crowd minded, as the whole Everton team chased every ball from goalkeeper Howard to striker Arouna Kone, playing instead of the injured Romelu Lukaku.
Saido Mane, Dusan Tadic and Felipe Duricic were all thrown on in a desperate attempt to salvage something from the game, with it taking Southampton until the 78th minute to force a chance in the second period, as Jose Fonte shot over from 12 yards after a Nathaniel Clyne pass.
Despite Saints' pressure, it was Everton who took all three points from the clash as they resisted route one stuff from the visitors at the death, to move up to 11th in the league.
| Everton (1) | Southampton (0) | ||
 |  |  |  |
| Howard | 7 | Davis | 6 |
| Coleman | 6 | Clyne | 7 |
| Jagielka | 7 | Fonte | 7 |
| Stones | 6 | Alderweireld (3) | 6 |
| Baines | 7 | Bertrand | 6 |
| McCarthy | 6 | Wanyama | 6 |
| Barry | 6 | Schneiderlin | 7 |
| Lennon | 7 | Ward Prowse (2) | 7 |
| Osman | 6 | Elia (1) | 6 |
| Barkley (1) | 6 | Long | 6 |
| Kone (2) | 6 | Pelle | 6 |
| Substitutions | |||
| Besic (1) | 5 | Tadic (1) | 6 |
| Naismith (2) | 5 | Mane (2) | 5 |
| - | Duricic (3) | - | |