Everton supporters were left partying in the away end after a dramatic comeback win at Southampton.
Players and fans marked the victory - one that underlines the gathering momentum under Frank Lampard - together as they celebrated in the south coast sunshine. The scenes were similar to those after Everton's last away win - the vital result at Leicester City that helped to keep them in the Premier League and which was fuelled by thousands singing Spirit of the Blues.
On Saturday the dominant feeling was one of hope rather than relief after Everton won from a position they so often lost from during the last campaign. It was built on a chaotic five minutes early in the second half in which three goals tore open what had been a solid if unspectacular match to that point. With so much of the post-match focus being on those five minutes, here are a few moments you may have missed.
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Away fans show the love for Seamus Coleman
Nathan Patterson has been brilliant for Everton this season. The 20-year-old has excelled since getting his chance in the Premier League and was unfortunate to see his run ended by injury sustained on international duty. When he was stretchered off there was concern from some quarters over how he would be replaced. But a mark of this Everton side is the strength they have in defence and Coleman, one of the best right-sided defenders of the past decade in the Premier League, was an experienced and accomplished replacement.
There was never any question over the 33-year-old's commitment or ability, but after having moved to centre-back last season and then undergoing surgery over the summer, there were some suggestions that Lampard should look at other ways of covering the injured Patterson. But there were no doubts in an away end that was eager to show its support for the club captain Coleman.
When he stepped onto the pitch at St Mary's he was serenaded with his "60 grand, 60 grand" chant. He rewarded the faith of those fans with a performance that suggested he had never been away from the first team - showcasing his composure and reading of the game as he dealt with Southampton's late pressure.
Academy graduates train together in nice touch to help youngster
Everton Under-21s star Kyle John made it onto the bench against Southampton, the right-back made available as cover for Coleman. It was not the first time John had been a member of a matchday squad but his involvement is still significant for him and his development. During the first half he went to warm-up on the touchline in front of the home stands - and at a point when no other players were doing so.
Rather than go alone he was joined by two other Everton academy graduates who were on the bench - the far more experienced Anthony Gordon and Tom Davies. It was a nice touch to see the elder homegrown stars join the newcomer to keep him company and was another signal of the unity and spirit that appears to be running through the dressing room.
Alex Iwobi's exceptional fitness and drive on show right to the end
Alex Iwobi's Everton renaissance has been much-talked about. This season, he has impressed in central midfield - his vision, composure and creativity all coming to the fore. Where he was most impressive against Southampton was ability to cover the pitch for the full 90 minutes - and his commitment to doing so. The first half ended with a Southampton attack that saw Iwobi, in stoppage time, tracking back and sliding in to make an important intervention and halt a late surge towards Jordan Pickford's goal. He was doing the same in the stoppage time at the end of the game too.
Everton's new-found freedom
One of the stand-out features of Everton's display against Southampton was the freedom the players seemed to have to express themselves. Lampard's tenure so far has been built on pragmatism and being solid. At St Mary's it looked as though the players had been given licence to show more flare, so long as it was controlled. Demarai Gray was a menace to the Southampton defence, beating players three times to create opportunities. Alex Iwobi span on the the ball to create space on the edge of his own area in the first half, while Amadou Onana - under pressure in the middle of the pitch - let the ball run through his legs as he sent an opponent chasing in the wrong direction. Even James Tarkowski dropped a shoulder on the edge of his own box to fool a rival and create space to launch an attack.
Shirtless Vitalii Mykolenko leads the plaudits for the away fans
The scenes at the end of the game were wonderful as players and fans partied together. The whole Everton team, and Lampard, were involved in action that later saw Iwobi and Idrissa Gueye dancing topless in front of their audience. The first player to head to the travelling supporters was Vitalii Mykolenko. As soon as he had shaken hands he went straight to the supporters to give away his top. Everton is a side currently full of leaders - three players who have captained the team this season were on the pitch yesterday. But while the leadership attributes of some are more talked about than others, it is clear there is a positive spirit running through the squad at the moment and Mykolenko's actions showed it.
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