Both sides came into this Premier League clash at the London Stadium on the back of a loss, albeit in different competitions. David Moyes’ Hammers suffered a narrow defeat at Olympiakos in the Europa League on Thursday, while Sean Dyche’s Toffees fell to a 2-0 defeat at Merseyside rivals Liverpool in the top flight.
WHU: Areola; Cresswell, Aguerd, Zouma, Coufal; Ward-Prowse, Alvarez; Bowen, Kudus, Paqueta; Antonio
EVE: Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Onana, Doucoure; Harrison, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin
With both England legend Sir Bobby Charlton and Everton chairman Bill Kenwright sadly passing away in the past week, tributes were paid to both pre-match before the action began.
Embed from Getty ImagesWest Ham would start the brighter and the more aggressive, as the Hammers had a chance to take the lead early on, only for Michail Antonio’s attempts to find some room in the Toffees defence coming to nothing. The home side edged even closer to the opener just moments later, but Antonio’s low ball in couldn’t find Mohammed Kudus on the edge of the box.
David Moyes’ side were certainly in the ascendency in the opening minutes, with Lucas Paqueta’s wonderful ball over the Everton defence almost finding Jarrod Bowen in the box, but Jordan Pickford was alert and punched the ball clear to keep the scoreline level. Paqueta then lobbed the ball over Nathan Patterson and found Bowen at the far post, but the England international miscued and the chance was to no avail.
For all the control that the home side had in this first half, a mix-up between Paqueta and Nayef Aguerd in the the 24th minute almost cost them a clean sheet, but Jack Harrison’s shot hardly troubled Alphonse Areola in the West Ham goal.
A scuffle between Jordan Pickford and Mohammed Kudus seemed to spark Everton, and in truth the game, into life. With 34 minutes gone, Sean Dyche’s men could have taken the lead against the run of play, but Jack Harrison’s long-range effort flew well over the bar. Vitaliy Mykolenko’s ball in from the left hand side six minutes later found Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the box, but the Everton striker’s header, like Harrison’s earlier effort, travelled over the frame of the goal.
The second half, like the first, almost started out perfectly for the Hammers, with Jarrod Bowen’s low curling effort looking goal bound, only for Jarrad Branthwaite to block the ball well and clear it quick. Just moments later, Bowen saw a header from an Aaron Cresswell free kick go wide of the near post.
While West Ham did start the second 45 brighter, it was Everton who would carry on where they left off from the end of the first half. Jack Harrison, who had been a very bright spark for Everton in this clash, found some space just outside the box and found Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The striker then turned away brilliantly from Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma and fired the ball past Areola to give the Toffees the lead. With this strike, Calvert-Lewin became the fourth Everton player to reach 50 Premier League goals.
Embed from Getty ImagesSean Dyche’s men could have had a deserved second goal on the hour mark, only for Alphonse Areola to make an excellent save from Abdoulaye Doucoure, who was through one-on-one with the French goalkeeper. Dwight McNeil also had the chance to add a second to Everton’s name, but his long-range effort was tipped over by Areola.
West Ham struggled to break down Everton throughout the second half, but it was the other way round for Sean Dyche’s men, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin could have had his second of the game, but the woodwork – and in the end, the offside flag – denied the Englishman extending the away side’s lead.
Jordan Pickford was called into action minutes after when Mohammed Kudus’s close-range volley was stopped impeccably by the England No.1 in the box. Pickford was alert again three minutes from time as a mis-kick was seemingly heading in, with the Everton stopper tipping the ball over the bar. A third attempt courtesy of Hammers substitute Said Benrahma was also kept out by Pickford, in what proved to be the save that saw Everton head back to Merseyside with all three points and a clean sheet.
Both sides are in Carabao Cup action next time out on Wednesday. West Ham play host to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal at 7:30pm, while Sean Dyche’s Everton head back to Goodison Park to take on Burnley at 7:45pm.
