Southampton saw their hopes of Champions League qualification suffer a blow on Saturday with a 1-0 defeat away to Everton.

The only goal of the game came on 16 minutes when Phil Jagielka was on hand to turn the ball past Kelvin Davis after the Saints had failed to clear a corner.

Ronald Koeman's side pushed hard for an equaliser in the second half, but they were unable to turn their dominance into clear-cut chances.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the action between the two teams at Goodison Park.

Match statistics

EVERTON
Shots: 11
On target: 1
Possession: 45%
Corners: 4
Fouls: 12

SOUTHAMPTON
Shots: 11
On target: 2
Possession: 55%
Corners: 10
Fouls: 17

Was the result fair?

Southampton will count themselves unlucky not to have come away from Goodison Park without at least a point. The visitors were the dominant side in terms of possession and general pressure in the final third, but a lack of finishing cost them in the end.

Everton's performance

The hosts were solid for the majority of the clash, though they were rarely anything more than that. Roberto Martinez's side occasionally showed what they are capable of in attack with some slick passing and movement. Aaron Lennon and Arouna Kone both enjoyed impressive afternoons, while Ross Barkley often pulled the strings in midfield with his pace and power. However, it was at the back where the Toffees excelled as Southampton threw everything at them in the second half. The whole back four worked doggedly, while the more combative midfielders such as Leon Osman fought hard to contain the visitors. This was not a particularly inspiring display from the home side, but three league wins in a row suggest that they are building confidence and have a great chance of finishing in the top half of the table.

Southampton's performance

The Saints will be frustrated to leave Merseyside with nothing to show for their efforts. The visitors were the better side after going behind early on, but some disappointing play in the final third meant that they could not breach the Everton defence. They showed plenty of attacking intent, only to be let down by some wayward finishing. Things got better for them in the second half when Dusan Tadic and Sadio Mane were brought on from the bench, though even they could not make the crucial difference. Despite the negative result, Ronald Koeman is unlikely to be unhappy with his players. They played in much the same way as they have all season, except that this time the ball just would not fall for them.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Leon Osman: The Everton midfielder worked his socks off throughout, running from box to box in an attempt to help his side out both up front and at the back. His hard tackling was also needed as Southampton showed no fear in taking a physical approach.

Biggest gaffe

Not so much an individual error, but more of a collective one as the Southampton defence gave Phil Jagielka far too much time and space to find the net for the game's only goal. The Saints were only half-awake leading up to it, failing to clear a corner before being punished.

Referee performance

On a surprisingly physical afternoon, Lee Mason was not afraid to blow his whistle. The official tried to let the game flow as both sides attacked, but a string of fouls often left him with no choice other than to halt play.

What next?

Everton: The Toffees are back in Premier League action on April 11 when they travel to Swansea City.

Southampton: The Saints continue their Premier League campaign on April 11 at home to Hull City.