Premier League: Everton 3 Southampton 1

Everton put their League Cup exit firmly behind them with a convincing 3-1 win over Southampton at Goodison Park on Saturday.

Croatian striker Nikica Jelavic netted a brace as all four goals came in the first half of the English Premier League clash.

Gaston Ramirez had given Southampton a shock sixth-minute lead before Leon Osman equalised for the hosts.

Jelavic struck twice after Osman’s equaliser as Everton secured their fourth win in six league games this season.

Ramirez gave Southampton the perfect start away from home, rising unmarked at the far post to nod in after Tim Howard flapped at Adam Lallana’s corner.

Everton slowly began to take control of the match, but were given a reminder of Southampton’s threat when Ramirez fired a shot over the crossbar from outside the area.

However, the equaliser arrived with a sense of inevitability for the hosts in the 25th minute.

The lively Kevin Mirallas put in a cross from the right that Jelavic failed to control, but it fell kindly to Osman, who tucked the ball emphatically into the top corner from eight yards.

The visitors have conceded more goals than any other Premier League team this season, and it was easy to see why as Everton took the lead just after the half-hour mark.

Mirallas was the architect once again, popping up in the centre to play a lovely one-two with Marouane Fellaini before feeding Jelavic, who drove into the area and pulled the ball into the bottom corner.

Everton continued to apply pressure and doubled their lead seven minutes before half-time through Jelavic.

Jelavic was lurking unmarked once again, meeting the ball at the far post with a firm header from a tight angle that Paulo Gazzaniga could only palm into the roof of the net.

Fellaini seemed keen to get in on the goalscoring act and had a chance to do so just before half-time, heading a Leighton Baines corner onto the crossbar.

Howard was a spectator for most of the second half despite Ramirez occasionally looking threatening.

Southampton seemed resigned to their fates in the closing moments as David Moyes reflected on another assured performance from his men.