Everton produced a commanding 3-1 defeat of Southampton at Goodison Park to continue their impressive start to the Premier League season.
Southampton, whose difficult start continues after losses to both Manchester clubs, Wigan and Arsenal already this season, opened the scoring on six minutes through summer signing Gaston Ramirez.
Leon Osman equalised for Everton before man of the match Nikica Jelavic added two in the first half to end the scoring - and could have had more after terrorising the Saints defence.
It was a slow start from the Toffeemen and they found themselves a goal down early on.
Rickie Lambert claimed a corner off the toe of Kevin Mirallas - a decision the crowd did not agree with, but which replays seemed to back up - and home goalkeeper Tim Howard was rooted as Ramirez headed into a vacant goal at the back post.
Southampton covered the Everton passing options, playing high up the pitch, to force them into long balls, with little movement from the men in blue.
The fans stayed with them however and were rewarded for their patience on 25 minutes when Osman finished into the top corner as the ball fell invitingly for him after Jelavic attacked a cross.
That was the start of an onslaught, with Jelavic causing problems for Nigel Adkins's men from a seemingly endless stream of crosses.
Southampton held out for seven further minutes. Mirallas embarked upon a lovely dribble near halfway, playing a one-two with the fearsome Marouane Fellaini, before finding Croatia striker Jelavic in the box - and he picked out the bottom corner with an excellent finish.
Five minutes further on, Paulo Gazzaniga somehow clawed a Jelavic header away following a cross from Osman, but a minute later he was picking the ball out of the net a third time.
Seamus Coleman cut inside and angled into the box, leaving two Southampton defenders for dead, and his cross past the back post was headed in by Jelavic. Saints had no answer for the deadly frontman with Japanese centre-half Maya Yoshida run ragged despite putting in a solid performance.
The pressure continued, with Fellaini heading against the bar from a corner right at the end of the half, and Southampton were ultimately happy to go in only two goals down despite their bright start.
Saints produced some decent football in the second half, but were too tentative in the final third.
In contrast Fellaini was a monster in winning the ball in midfield and rifling a drive just wide of the far post halfway up, the ball taking a slight deflection. Osman then bent a low shot just wide.
Ramirez should have scored a second for Saints with 20 minutes remaining after ghosting into the box on to a Lambert through-ball and flicking over Howard and wide of the far post, while only an outstanding Howard save prevented the prolific Lambert from scoring with his head.
Southampton stay 17th, a point clear of QPR in bottom spot having conceded 12 goals in their opening three away games, but it is not all doom and gloom for them, as last week's home win over Aston Villa showed.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Nikica Jelavic - The Croatian's movement is outstanding around the box and he is also clinical in front of goal.
PLAYER RATINGS
EVERTON: Howard 6; Coleman 8, Jagielka 7, Heitinga 6, Baines 7; Neville 6, Osman 8, Pienaar 7, Mirallas 8; Fellaini 8, Jelavic 9. SUBS: Distin 6, Anichebe 6, Oviedo 6.
SOUTHAMPTON: Gazzaniga 7; Richardson 6, Yoshida 7, Fonte 5, Clyne 7; Davis 6, Ward-Prowse 5, Lallana 5; Ramirez 7, Rodriguez 6, Lambert 7. SUBS: Mayuka 6, Chaplow 6, Reeves 6.
