Everton 1 West Ham 3
David Moyes headed to his old stomping ground as his West Ham side faced Everton at Goodison Park. The Toffees had now gone nine Premier League games without a win and would need to change this if they didn’t want to be involved in a relegation dogfight.
Only Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah and Ollie Watkins have more goals in the league this season than Jarrod Bowen. Yet Gareth Southgate continues the likes of Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips in his England squads. Even David Moyes isn’t picking Phillips at the moment.
Everton had an early sight of goal when Tarkowski and McNeil combined. Beto found himself through on goal but hit his shot straight at Areola in the West Ham goal. The lack of firepower in their strikers is why Sean Dyche’s side are not winning games right now.
The hosts claimed for a penalty when Zouma looked to block a pass into the box. Initially, the referee did not give it but the VAR studio sent him to the monitor and he changed his decision. The Toffees had been awarded their first penalty of the season.
Credit: @WestHam
Beto stepped up to take it, only to see Areola get down well into the corner to save his effort. A big chance wasted for Dyche’s side. The Portuguese forward has struggled to find the back of the net since his €30 million move from Udinese.
Into the second half, McNeil turned and shot from outside of the box but again the West Ham keeper did well to save when his effort seemed to be heading into the bottom corner. Calvert-Lewin looked on from the substitutes bench.
Then lightning struck as Garner swung in a sweet delivery from the wing and Beto headed into the bottom corner of the goal. It was his second Premier League goal since he had made the move from Italy in August as Goodison Park erupted.
McNeil then fed the ball to Harrison in the box, who held the ball up well, before returning the favour. The former Burnley midfielder met it on the volley but only a sublime save from Areola could prevent Everton from doubling their lead.
Paqueta fed the ball to Kudus outside the box, he looked to let fly at goal but Tarkowski’s outstretched leg deflected it behind for a corner. Zouma met the cross and glanced a header into the top corner of the goal. Everton’s lead lasted all of six minutes.
Both sides were having a go now and Beto’s confidence was growing as he had a shot from outside the box. It took a massive deflection and seemed to be looping into the top corner until Areola brilliantly clawed it out of the goal.
Credit: @premierleague
The Toffees almost scored from the resulting corner as Doucoure directed it towards goals and Soucek reacted quickly to clear the ball off the line. Had he not been as sharp in his reactions, Everton would have regained the lead.
Sean Dyche’s side were knocking on the door but West Ham’s French keeper was frustrating them time after time. Calvert Lewin was the next to shoot into the bottom corner but once again Areola got down well to deny the hosts.
Deep into added time a cross to the back post found Soucek. He chested the ball down and struck a superb shot with the outside of his right boot, arrowing into the far corner with Pickford unable to get anywhere near it. Goodison Park fell silent.
As Everton threw bodies forward, trying to find an equaliser, The Hammers broke and Bowen fed the ball into the path of Alvarez. He lifted the ball over the advancing Pickford to rub salt in the wound and to double their lead.
David Moyes’ side moved back up to seventh in the table and made it look as though their dip in form was behind them. For Everton, things could have been so different if it was not for Alphonse Areola in the West Ham goal.
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