West Ham United 2 – 1 Everton
Everton head to the capital this Saturday to face West Ham United, looking to banish the ghosts of a painful derby defeat and keep their European aspirations alive in David Moyes’s return to his former stomping ground.
But Everton let West Ham take the initiative by conceding from yet another corner before fighting back well to equalise near the end. However, the winning goal was again conceded well into added time and the defending was Keystone Cops stuff.
Jarrad Branthwaite is out for the remainder of the season. Michael Keane steps back in alongside James Tarkowski, with Jake O’Brien retained at right-back.
Up front, Beto is ruled out after suffering a concussion that caused him to be withdrawn from last weekend’s match against Liverpool. Barry replaces him in the giant centre-forward role. Moyes makes no other changes, leaving the bench full of young, enthusiastic, but largely unused potential talent… and Seamus Coleman.
Another glorious afternoon of Spring Sunshine and a 3 pm Saturday afternoon kickoff – what more could you ask for? A win, that’s what. As David Moyes returns to West Ham for his 750th Premier League game as a manager, let’s hope he has something to make it big… or if he goes all soft on his former club and the jeopardy they find themselves in near the relegation zone?
First Half
The Hammers kicked off and probed forward into the massed latte and charcoal-kitted Everton side. Mykolenko looked to release Barry down the left and he looked a bit more lively than last week.
Everton built down the right and McNeil had a moment before he was closed down. Everton continued to work the ball back and around, Pickford’s low punt far too strong for anyone but Hermansen. Another long ball almost fell for Ndiaye, bouncing behind off his thigh.
Walker-Peters was in sharply on Mykolenko, giving him a long throw chance, headed on well by Barry that no one seemed to expect. Another forward ball from Mykolenko went straight through to Hermansen.
The first Hammers attack saw Bowen looking very dangerous but Mykolenko blocked him. Next, Summerville beat Gueye but Garner was across to brilliantly clip the ball off his toes… but somehow that was a foul? Tarkppwski was livid. Soucek headed well over from the free-kick.
Keane was sandbagged by two but KDH broke forward with the ball and McNeil clipped a cross to Barry at the far post but he tried some acrobatic move that failed to connect. Pablo was fouled by Tarkowski; a good ball forward had to be headed behind by O’Brien. The corner was half cleared but Fernandes saw a chance to shoot and a vital deflection took it high over the bar.
A great break by Dewsbury-Hall saw him play what looked like a perfect pass to Barry who just stepped off it and let Hermanasen gather… why didn’t he lunge for the ball?
West Ham got forward again, a great ball in behind the Everton defence but the pull back was initially stopped. But they had second and third bites at the cherry, the ball falling for Bowen who again needed to be blocked well at source as he set to shoot.
Summerville was fouled by McNeil, although again, he may have actually got the ball. Thankfully, the free-kick was wasted by Fernandes.
West Ham had had a good spell but Everton got forward and won their first corner off Mavropanos. Garner with a great delivery to the far post, but it was Mavropanos headed well clear, and they were up the field quickly.
Ndiaye had a nicely little cameo to get the ball out to McNeil but his cross in was cleared and O’Brien then fouled. The ball in saw a good bout of head tennis before Hermansen cleared.
It was highly contested in midfield, good play from Dewsbury-Hall, then Mavropanos intercepting his pass to Ndiaye. But it was now pretty even and fairly open, both sides looking for an opening,
Gueye looked to have fouled Walker-Peters but the play was allowed to go on, and Ndiaye looked to release Barry again but he was no match for Disasi, boy against man.
Everton tried to keep it tight, but a hospital pass to Dewsbury-Hall saw Keane handle the rebound. Diouf got behind the line well, but then overplayed it behind. A bizarre clash with Diouf almost kneeling to try and dispossess O’Brien. The long throw almost fell nicely… but not quite.
Barry then saw a chance but didn’t quite connect properly with his low shot… but at least it was a shot. Ndiaye worked hard after a great recovery by Mykolenko and tried to exchange passes with McNeil but could not fashion a shot in the crowded area.
Summerville was blocked by O’Brien for the first yellow card of the game. Diouf’s free-kick was booted in straight to Pickford. But The Hammers had a couple more efforts to get balls in, not making much of them in the end.
Everton worked it around well down the right until O’Brien overhit his cross. Everton then had to defend, Ndiaye and Gana teaming up well to deny Walker-Peters.
A great move from back to front ripped through Everton but Bowen shot across the face of goal. West Ham looked to finish on a high, but the whistle went with them still working their attack. A pretty even half with each side looking to create, but largely failing to do so.
Second Half
Dewsbury-Hall’s up-and-under bounced out of play. It was scrappy before Diouf pushed over McNeil, no foul, so Tarkowski body-checked Sommerville: yellow card. West Ham got upfield, Mavropanos with a short long throw.
Summerville did brilliantly to get through and cross for Castellanos at the far post but Pickford came out all arms and legs, catching him after deflecting the ball behind for a corner. VAR checked: no penalty. But Soucek was positioned perfectly for an unstoppable header from Bowen’s brilliant corner to the near post.
Barry was again easily defeated by Disasi as Everton tried to up the ante. Everton needed to respond, but went for the slow backwards, forwards, and sideways until Garner got to the byeline only to pass the ball softly to Hermansen, while Moyes dithered and dallied, with Irvine and Baines wondering what to do.
Bowen dribbled in and went down but wasn’t fouled. Bowen then stalled an Evertob attack down the left. Ndiaye won a corner. Garner’s low corner didn’t get past Bowen at the near post as Moyes acted,
Garner was booked for his body check on Sommerville, who stayed down after falling awkwardly… but strangely not required ot go off after treatment? Moyes finally ,made changes 12 minutes after going behind, leaving Barry on the field.
A cross into the Everton penalty area and Disasi went down after feeling Garner’s hands on his back, no penalty. But Everton were still slow in the build-up. Ndiaye drew a foul off Sommerville. Garner’s delivery not great, Iroegbunam’s effort woeful.
Barry finally pressured Disasi and forced a corner. Dewsbury-Hall, delivery wwas cleared to Gana who played through a lovely ball to Iroegbunam but he neither shot properly nor crossed it as it bobbled in and was easily cleared.
Ndiaye was challenging Diouf, winning another corner that was worked around very well, Barry’s header coming off Soucek’s head on the line and up, onto the crossbar!
Everton had successfully ramped up the pressure on the West Ham goal, Nuno using subs to break the tempo. George got called for a very marginal offside by the linesman. Somerville got forward and almost set up Wilson before Everton resumed the slow build-up.
A clear handball by Fernades behind Barry in the West Ham area. No Penalty!?! Grappling motion??? What? Should at least have been a corner but the referee gave the Hammers a goal-kick.
Sommerville tried to dribble in again, but Iroegbunam did very well to come away with the ball. Everton went upfield again, and this time, the ball worked around until it was set up beautifully by a lovely cushioned header from Tarkowski for Dewsbury-Hall to hammer it into the net.
Everton kept working it forward and it looked like a good attack until the deep cross was overhit, That meant it was an opportunity for West Ham to attack and what a mess as the Everton defence were in as a ball chipped to the back post was nodded down by Diouf for Wilson to score easily from close range.
Tyrique George did his best to create space and curl it into the top corner but the ball flew past the angle. Everton did their best to work it forward but West Ham kept trying to break, Alcaraz booked for a foul on Sommerville.
Everton pressed forward again but the cross in was laimed by Hermansen and the referee finally blew the whistle after 10 minutes of added time, with Everton chalking up another loss in their rapidly crumbling quest for Europe.
West Ham United: Hermansen, Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf, Fernandes, Soucek, Summerville, Bowen, Pablo (81′ Wilson [Y:90+5′]), Castellanos [Y:71′] (79′ Potts).
Subs: Areola, Traore, Todibo, Wan-Bissaka, Magassa, Scarles, Kante.
Everton: Pickford; Mykolenko, Keane, Tarkowski [Y47′], O’Brien [Y:38′] (65′ Iroegbunam); Garner [Y:64′], Gueye (86′ Alcaraz [Y:90+9′]); Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, McNeil (65′ George); Barry.
Subs: Travers, Patterson, Dibling, Coleman, Rohl, Armstrong.
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Video Assistant Referee: Michael Salisbury
Assistant Referees: Constantine Hatzidakis & Mark Scholes
Fourth Official: Josh Smith
Assistant VAR Official: Dan Robathan