Sports News | EPL Leader Everton Beaten 2-0 at Southampton for 1st Loss

Southampton, Oct 25 (AP) Premier League leader Everton slumped to its first defeat of the season and lost Lucas Digne to a second-half red card as Danny Ings inspired Southampton to a 2-0 win at St. Mary's Stadium on Sunday.

Ings is Southampton's top scorer this season but he turned provider against Everton, setting up James Ward-Prowse's 27th-minute opener with a delicate through-ball and then crossing to the far post for strike partner Che Adams to score a deflected finish in the 35th.

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Everton's worst display of the season was capped by the 71st-minute sending-off of left back Digne, who raked his studs down the back of Kyle Walker-Peters' leg as he chased after the Southampton right back. Two seasons ago, Digne scored a 25-yard (meter) own goal in a loss at Southampton.

Everton, which won its first four league games and drew its fifth against Liverpool last weekend, stayed top of the standings. However, only goal difference separates Everton from its Merseyside rival Liverpool.

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It was a first loss for Carlo Ancelotti's team in nine games in all competitions and the visitors really missed the pace and directness of left-sided Richarlison, who was suspended after getting sent off against Liverpool.

Southampton has recovered superbly from losing 5-2 at home to Tottenham in its second league game, picking up 10 points from a possible 12 in its next four games and keeping three clean sheets in the process. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)