There were two games in today's Barclays Premier League with plenty of entertainment on offer, here's how they unfolded.
Everton 6-2 Sunderland
Arouna Kone bagged a hat-trick and Ross Barkley ran the show as Everton took home the spoils from their encounter with Sunderland at Goodison Park.
The Black Cats were in a buoyant mood following last weeks 3-0 victory over rivals Newcastle, and they started brightly today, coming close to opening the scoring when Patrick Van Aanholt rifled a shot off the post, before Adam Johnson's scuffed effort met the same fate.
Johnson, Jermain Defoe and Steven Fletcher combined well in attack throughout the game and will be a big positive going forward, but defensively they were a mess and they were exposed in the 19th minute when Kone's ball over the top found Gerard Delofeu in acres of space before dispatching the ball into the back of the net.
Kone grabbed his first of the day in he 31st minute, combining with Lukaku on the edge of the box before firing into the top corner past Costel Pantillimon. At this stage Everton were in complete control but Defoe pulled one back for Sunderland just before the break with a brilliantly taken goal.
To everybody's surprise, the Black Cats were level soon after the break, Fletcher getting his head onto a looped Van Aanholt cross. They weren't level for long however, as Sebastian Coates turned a Delofeu cross into his own net with Romelu Lukaku in hot pursuit. It was the first of three goals in 12 minutes as Lukaku then rounded the keeper to get himself on the scoresheet before Kone added his second after combing with James McCarthy two minutes later.
Lukaku was provider for Kone's third, delivering a delicious outside of the boot cross onto the Ivorian's head, who doubled his total goals tally for Everton.
Romelu Lukaku's assist to Arouna Koné who heads in to complete his hat-trick vs. Sunderland -360 pic.twitter.com/ktUMsmcGqM
— Sportive23 (@Sportive23_) November 1, 2015
The result leaves Sunderland stuck in the relegation zone in 19th and somewhat thankful there has actually been a team worse than them this season. Everton push themselves up to 9th, one point and place behind Merseyside rivals Liverpool.
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Southampton 2-0 Bournemouth
The latest Premier League derby took place today, with the South Coast neighbours meeting for the first time in the top flight of English football.
Ireland's Harry Arter made his Premier League debut for the Cherries but he was powerless as the Saints outclassed the newboys in the first half, with Steven Davis and Graziano Pelle's netting in the first 45 minutes.
Bournemouth were looking to get a first win in four matches but were on the backfoot from the get-go, with Pelle and Saido Mane both having opportunities early on. Neither could convert but the Saints didn't have to wait much longer for the opener.
It was a brilliant goal, working the ball up from the back slowly before firing a pass into Pelle, whose deft flick set Ryan Bertrand free on the left, with his sumptuous cross leaving Davis with the easiest of tasks.
Steven Davis scores!! Saints 1 up against the Cherries!! #saintsfc #singasaints #wemarchon pic.twitter.com/xzbTGV9ETq
— Saints_SG (@wilson_vw) November 1, 2015
It didn't take long for them to double the lead as Dusan Tadic chased down a long ball over the top, did a couple of stepovers before crossing into the dangerzone where Pelle soared highest to head past Federici in the Bournemouth goal.
Pelle makes it 2-0 and Bournemouth are sinking like a stone. pic.twitter.com/A7ZLOOVMQe
— 138.com (@138dotcom) November 1, 2015
The Italian striker continued his rugby themed goal celebrations, doing a Haka with Southampton's Kiwi physio Graham Staddon.
Pelle's haka celebration https://t.co/5xTFM5XTXd
— Eat My Goal.tv (@eatmygoaltv) November 1, 2015
Bournemouth improved in the second half, huffing and puffing at Southampton's goal but they couldn't find the breakthrough to keep them in the game. The result leaves the Cherries in 17th, one point ahead of Newcastle while the Saints move level with Spurs and Liverpool on 17 points in 7th place.
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