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Alex Iwobi makes return from injury for Everton in 2-1 defeat to Southampton
Alex Iwobi made an unexpected return to the Everton team but it was not enough to avoid a 2-1 home defeat against Southampton.
Iwobi was a doubt to play having picked up what looked like a serious injury a week ago as the victim of a horror tackle by Tyrell Malacia.
The Nigerian midfielder started and played the full 90 minutes but it was Southampton who took the night with a James Ward-Prowse brace.
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Everton 1-2 Southampton
Everton started the game in hopes of a win and looked on course to get it when they took the lead in the 39th minute through Amodou Onana.
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Onana gave the home team the lead after rising highest to powerfully nod home Demarai Gray’s corner and send Goodison Park into a frenzy.
Alex Iwobi nearly doubled the lead minutes later with a curling effort that drifted just wide, while the Saints almost grabbed an undeserved equaliser in injury time, only for Jordan Pickford to superbly tip Ward-Prowse’s shot onto the post.
The midfielder made no mistake after half time though, levelling less than a minute into the second period as he slotted into the bottom corner after skipping past Ben Godfrey’s tackle.
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Everton continued performing strongly in the second half as they aimed to grab the decisive goal but were plagued by wasteful finishing.
Southampton made them pay for their profligacy in the 78th minute when James Ward-Prowse fired home a trademark freekick from 25 yards out.
Southampton remain bottom of the league but are now level on points with Everton who are now 19th both with 15 points each.
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