Match Report

Everton lost for the 17th time in the Premier League this season as a much-improved away display was wrecked by hugely costly individual errors that allowed an under-whelming West Ham to edge the match 2-1 at the London Stadium.

Aaron Cresswell profited from a needless foul by Mason Holgate in the first half to sweep the Hammers into the lead with a impressive direct free-kick and though the Toffees' defender would atone for the error with a deflected strike that pulled Everton level eight minutes into the second half, an awful slip by Alex Iwobi led to Jarrod Bowen scoring the winner before Michael Keane was sent off for a second bookable offence.

It was the first time the Blues have had a man dismissed in three successive matches in the Premier League era and it undercut what chances Frank Lampard's men had of salvaging something from the match in the final quarter of the match. It also means Keane will miss Wednesday's crucial game against his old club Burnley at Turf Moor.

With Allan still suspended, Lampard had been hoping to bring Donny van de Beek back into the side after he was forced to sit out the defeat at Crystal Palace because he was cup-tied. The Dutchman was named in the starting XI but tweaked a muscle in his thigh in the warm-up and with André Gomes out with a knock himself, had to be replaced in midfield by Holgate.

With illness keeping Seamus Coleman out of the side, there was an opening for Nathan Patterson to make his League debut but he, too, had been ruled out after turning his ankle in training, which meant Jonjoe Kenny switched to right-back and Vitali Mykolenko returned on the left with Ben Godfrey partnering Keane in the centre.

Unlike many of Everton's recent away performances, the first half was a fairly even affair, with the visitors largely matching their hosts in terms of possession and chances created. Pablo Fornals saw an early shot off Ryan Fredericks' cross blocked and Richarlison's attempted bicycle kick off Kenny's delivery met the same fate but it was a mistake by the Brazilian that almost led to the first goal.

Richarlison gave the ball away cheaply off a throw-in but Mickael Antonio's effort was deflected behind and Bowen's eventual shot following the resulting corner was hit straight at Jordan Pickford.

Three minutes later, Pickford did superbly to tackle Fornals with his feet after Everton had left themselves vulnerable on the counter-attack while Lukas Fabianski in the West Ham goal did similarly well to rush to edge of his box to deny Richarlison after the forward had been played in by a perfectly-weighted ball from Iwobi in the 29th minute.

Three minutes later, however, Everton's solid start was undermined by a sloppy foul given away by Holgate not far outside his own box. His trip on Bowen set Cresswell up for a chance to beat Pickford from 20-off yards which he did with a curling free-kick that found the top corner to make it 1-0 to West Ham.

The Blues' best chance of the half arrived five minutes before the break, though. Pickford picked Richarlison out this time with a pin-point ball forward but the Brazil international's attempt to guide it over Fabianski with the outside of his boot was lofted just too high and it cleared the crossbar by a matter of inches.

Undaunted at the start of the second half, Everton began the brighter of the two sides after half-time and this time it was Iwobi connecting with Dominic Calvert-Lewin with another lovely through-ball but the striker could only clip the crossbar with a left-foot shot from the angle.

Three minutes later, however, it was 1-1. Richarlison won a corner and then held off his marker after Fabianski had failed to punch the set-piece clear to prod the loose ball back to Holgate. The makeshift midfielder despatched a measured shot towards goal that took a heavy deflection off Fornals and flew into the far corner.

Parity lasted a mere six minutes, though. With the feeling growing that the Hammers were there for the taking if Everton could fashion another good opening, the Blues were trying to build a move forward when Iwobi mis-controlled a pass from Keane that gifted possession to the home side as Antonio was sent away into oceans of space and just Pickford ahead of him.

The England keeper did well to foil the striker with a blocking save but the rebound fell to Bowen who steered it over the desperate lunge of the last defender covering the goal to restore the Hammers' lead.

Six minutes after that, it was effectively game over when Keane, who had been booked in the first period for pulling Antonio back, was carded again for a late lunge in on the same player, reducing the Blues to 10 men for the remaining 25 minutes.

Richarlison had one shot blocked behind and a couple of set-piece opportunities for Lampard's men went begging before Godfrey planted a stoppage-time header from a free-kick over the bar and referee Michael Oliver called time.

With Watford and Burnley both losing and Leeds picking up just a point on Saturday, the picture at the bottom remains largely the same in terms of Everton's battle against relegation, although Wednesday's clash with the Clarets now takes on enormous significance.

Lampard and his charges can take heart from many elements of this display but, until the injury situation improves, they know they must cut out critical mistakes in their attempts to drag themselves out of the mire.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Updates

Crucial mistakes undid what was a far better performance than we have seen of late on the road from Everton, but a soft Holgate free-kick, a dreadful Iwobi giveaway, and a foolish lunge by Keane for a second yellow tell the sorry story of yet another away defeat for Frank Lampard.

In terms of team selection, Lampard has few options with the problematic defence, where Mina was still out injured. Mykolenko starteds in place of Coleman, who was ill. Jonjoe Kenny returned after a one-match suspension for a double yellow card against Wolves. Patterson missed out completely despite his impressive performance for Scotland in the break; he'd picked up a knock.

Fabian Delph returned to first-team training after weeks spent on the sidelines with a troublesome soft-tissue injury but he is still a week away from being ready. Allan was serving the second match of his three-game suspension following his red card against Newcastle, so Iwobi and Van der Beek returned to join Doucouré in midfield. Price and Dobbin were on the bench, along with Gordon and Holgate.

Up front, Dominic Calvert-Lewin desperately needed to rediscover his form after doing precious little since coming back from a long injury layoff. The former England international hasn't scored since netting the second goal in that solitary away win at Brighton back in August.

Richarlison, who has managed just one League goal in 2022 so far, needed to bring his International goalscoring talent back to Everton after he bagged a brace in World Cup qualifying for Brazil.

But Donny van de Beek picked up a thigh injury in the warm-up and he was withdrawn from the side, with Mason Holgate stepping up and Lonergan replacing him on the bench.

Everton kicked off in their changed kit, which seemed to confuse any ability to retain the ball that was son in West Ham's possession. A low Hammers cross into pace was struck fortuitously at Keane when it could easily have threatened the goal.

The Home side had take control after a few minutes and were denying much possession until Holgate went on a long run with the ball that Rice eventually stopped. But Calvert-Lewin did well to play out to Kenny whose cross Richarlison tried to power home acrobatically.

Richarlison overlapped for Iwobi but his shot was easily blocked. A cross to Calvert-Lewin was then easily defended by Kurt Zouma. At the other end, Antonio got through and Keane did well to deflect the shot behind, the corner not beating Richarlison, and Bowen shooting at Pickford.

Doucoure dribbled forward and crossed poorly allowing West Ham to counter with pace, Pickford coming out to deny Fornals. Worryingly, Holgate went down and needed treatment before coming back on with holey socks!

A better Everton move saw Calvert-Lewin win a corner that Gray delivered well enough but only to home defenders. Everton tried to build an attack but could not really create a chance, Holgate's shot deflected high and into Fabianski's arms.

Everton were at least trying to build forward movements, Richarlison's dribble down the left a decent example, but too easily stalled. Richarlison then gets a free-kick that maddeningly went back to Pickford, not once but five times before he hoofed it up for Calvert-Lewin to win.

Richarlsion tried another move down the left flank but he should have carried it forward rather than playing it to Mykolenko, who could not reach it. A great ball from Iwobi came so close to being a chance for Richarlison who beat Fabianski but not Fredricks who was back very quickly.

Holgate was tempted to foul Bowen and Cresswell whipped the gifted free-kick over the wall into the top corner, with Pickford's starting point way too far over on the other side of goal. Consequently, he had no chance of stopping it. An absolute disaster for Everton in terms of lack of discipline in giving up a stupid free-kick and then not stopping it from turning into a far too predictable goal.

Keane then had to take a yellow as he stopped Antonio illegally. Everton had done well to force a number of forward moves without really threatening the West Ham goal, and were now in an all-too-familiar predicament. An Everton free-kick was very easily defended but Gray won another corner, this one hit deep to Calvert-Lewin, not a threat.

A long ball from Pickford picked out Richarlison who tries and fails with a clever finish that was not clever enough, looping over the top corner of the West Ham goal. At the other end, Kenny blocked Antonio for a free-kick that was successfully defended.

Antonio was put through by Benrhama and went round Pickford but was too wide and shot into the side netting. Gray did well to beat his man and fire in a rare cross but it was too close to Fabianski. West Ham had a couple of dangerous chances in added time before the whistle went for the break.

No changes from Lampard, Mykolenko tried to play in Calvert-Lewin but Zouma was covering him closely. Everton tried to play possession football through the middle, ended when Keane's long forward pass was easily picked off.

Iwobi did well to play in Calvert-Lewin with a glorious chance that he blazed over. Some better Everton play won a corner that Gray floated in too close to Fabianski but the ball came out to Holgate(thanks to a delicate touch from Richarlison) who swung a boot at it and the shot was deflected into the corner beyond Fabianski.

Everton were applying some good pressure but Iwobi was terribly sloppy on a Keane pass and Antonio was allowed to break, Pickford deflecting his shot across goal for Bowen to finish into the empty Everton net.

Calvert-Lewin finally got a ball he could run forward with but he somehow lost it and fell over! N penalty. Holgate was next to drive forward and fall over. No penalty. But Everton kept probing and recycling in a very dominant spell that did not produce a decent chance.

Dawson took out Richarlison for a free kick a long way from goal, Gray's floated ball defended leading to another counter and eventually a lunge from Keane on Antonio, a second yellow card and another very threatening free-kick. This time, put wide by Cresswell.

Calvert-Lewin at least got on the ball and fired it on target, but not really anything to test Fabianski. But against 10 mien, it was easy for West Ham to pass the ball around. Past 70 minutes and still no decisive action from Lampard to change things up a gear.

Richarlsion tried to weave his way in and won a corner but Gray strayed offside, a criminal waste of a short corner. Everton tried to force their way through a massed West Ham defence. Gordon replaced Calvert-Lewin with 12 minutes left.

Richarlison tried to play forward but his pass to Gray was poor. Antonio got through again, and Godfrey had to pull off a crucial tackle to stop him.

Cresswell got a late yellow card when he kicked at a ball that was alongside Richarlison, prone on the ground, hitting him in the face and almost decapitating him.

Everton tried to apply some late pressure as West Ham relaxed into the final stages of the game where The Blues had largely played reasonably well only for their own foolish mistakes from the usual suspects to be their undoing.

Kick-off: 2:00 pm BST, Sunday 3 April 2022

West Ham United: Fabianski, Cresswell [Y:90+4'], Zouma, Fornals, Antonio, Dawson, Bowen (70' Noble), Benrahma (82' Yarmolenko), Fredericks, Soucek, Rice.
Subs: Areola, Coufal, Vlasic, Diop, Masuaku, Kral, Alese.

Everton: Pickford, Kenny, Keane [Y:33';YR:65'], Godfrey, Mykolenko, Doucoure, Van de Beek Holgate [Y:84'], Iwobi, Gray, Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin (78' Gordon).
Subs: Begovic, Lonergan, Branthwaite, Rondon, El Ghazi, Dele Alli, Price, Dobbin.

Referee: Michael Oliver
VAR: Andy Madley

Michael Kenrick

Match Preview

Everton resume their quest for Premier League survival on Sunday with the second of three successive away games, this time against former manager David Moyes and West Ham at the London Stadium.

The Blues' last fixture was an ill-fated FA Cup Quarter-Final tie at Selhurst Park and though some of his players have been away on international duty, Frank Lampard will surely have been grateful for a two-week respite to try and settle his squad down ahead of 11 crucial matches until the end of the season.

As a matter of urgent priority, the manager needs to get to grips with the psychological block that is afflicting his charges when things go against them on their travels.

Since taking charge at the end of January of a team that had only won one away game all season, Lampard has overseen successive defeats to Newcastle, Southampton, Tottenham, Crystal Palace, with just a single goal scored in those games as opposed to 14 conceded.

It's a situation that must change if Everton are to avoid the drop come mid-May, starting with aiming to grab a draw against the high-flying Hammers. Since losing 3-2 to Leeds in late January, Moyes's men are unbeaten in five home games in all competitions but in the same period they've failed to register a win away from the London Stadium.

That modest slip from the form that had them sitting in the top four at times this season could provide opportunity for Everton who have fleetingly demonstrated the talent that exists in their ranks and shown glimmers of the more positive football that Lampard is trying to introduce. However, it is remaining solid at the back and retaining the courage to press forward in the face of adversity that has hampered the Toffees so visibly since they ground out that 1-1 draw at Chelsea in December.

That poor away form translates into odds from Sports Betting Dime of 4/5 for a West Ham win, an Everton victory is at 18/5 and it's 14/5 for a draw.

Everton could boosted up front but remain short-handed in the key areas of central midfield. Fabian Delph returned to first-team training after weeks spent on the sidelines with troublesome soft-tissue injury but Lampard has indicated that he is, perhaps, a week away from being ready. That's unfortunate given that Allan will be serving the second match of his three-game suspension following his red card against Newcastle and it doesn't leave the manager many options for a three-man midfield apart from André Gomes.

Up front, though, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the scorer of the winning goal in this fixture last season, has been working on a tailor-made programme aimed at sharpening his fitness as he tries to rediscover his form following a long injury lay-off his own. The England international hasn't scored since netting the second goal in that solitary away win at Brighton back in August but the hope is that the additional two weeks over the international break can help bring him closer to peak condition.

"We've worked well, really closely with him over the past couple of weeks. Without putting unnecessary pressure on him, because it's tough to be a striker with expectation, he's in a really good place.”

Meanwhile, Richarlison, who has himself managed just one League goal in 2022 so far, bagged a brace in World Cup qualifying for Brazil, hopefully a welcome fillip for him that he can bring back to England where Everton will need him to be at his very best.

As a first step in stabilising what has been some wildly erratic form over the past few weeks, Everton need to shore up their back line, concentrate on being hard to beat and try at least to grind out a draw in this game.

The confidence that could be gleaned by either a clean sheet or a point away from home could provide a firm psychological platform to take into Wednesday's “six-pointer” at Burnley.

Kick-off: 2 pm BST, Sunday 3 April 2022
Referee: Michael Oliver
VAR: Andy Madley
Last Time: West Ham United 0 - 1 Everton

Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Holgate, Godfrey, Gomes, Doucouré, Van de Beek, Gordon, Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin

Lyndon Lloyd

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