Match Report

Since their rather routine 2-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United in April, Everton have played 11 games away from home in all competitions and lost just twice. For a team that was so abject on its travels under Rafael Benitez and Frank Lampard, the Blues have started to become a much more difficult visiting opponent now that Sean Dyche is charge.

Everton have only lost five games on the road under Dyche since he took over at the end of January. Two of those were at Anfield and there was one at each Old Trafford, the Emirates and Villa Park; so while the home form is still well short of where it needs to be, travelling away from Goodison Park is no longer the misery fest for the club’s long-suffering fans that it once was.

Today, the Toffees took on a West Ham side that had scored in every Premier League match this season and in every home game since the turn of the year. Dyche and his men left with a clean sheet and three hard-earned but deserved points delivered by an excellent striker’s goal by Dominic Calvert-Lewin, his 50th in the Premier League.

It goes without saying that the Blues are an entirely different proposition when their No.9 is leading the line and doing so fully fit. On another day, Calvert-Lewin might have had an assist from a terrific knock-on in the second half and, had Jack Harrison not made a mess of a glorious three-on-one situation in the first period, he might have had more than one goal on day.

As it was, just the one goal was enough and that was thanks to a committed, obdurate display, under-pinned by the resilience of a back four that has the imperious Jarrad Branthwaite and rock-solid James Tarkowski at its heart and another superb all-round game by the ever-improving Amadou Onana.

Once again the Belgian was preferred to Idrissa Gueye in the more defensive role in central midfield and, again, he delivered on both sides of the ball, throwing in important challenges in front of his own box in one moment and then striding forward with purpose and ease in another. One slide-rule pass for Calvert-Lewin that ended with the striker thumping an effort off the underside of the crossbar was only marginally called back for offside.

There were plaudits, too, for Nathan Patterson, a more than able deputy for the suspended Ashley Young, and Vitalii Mykolenko on the other side of defence, while Jordan Pickford — of course! — stood tall when he was needed in the closing stages to ensure a clean sheet. And if the two wide men, Harrison and Dwight McNeil, didn’t quite live up to expectations on the day, both played their part in a really important win.

As might have been predicted given their superior form and position in the table, David Moyes’s Hammers started the better despite tenacious pressing by Everton in the early going once the tributes to Bill Kenwright and Sir Bobby Charlton had ushered in the kick-off.

But it wasn’t until midway through the first half that Moyes’s side first threatened Pickford’s goal when Lucas Paquetá's dink over Patterson gave him space to deliver a dangerous cross and Jarrod Bowen missed in uncharacteristic fashion at the back post .

Two minutes later, though, the visitors should have gone ahead themselves when Paquetà gave the ball away in his own half and Harrison, Calvert-Lewin and Doucouré surged forward in a three-on-one situation against Nayef Aguerd but the on-loan winger made a mess of the chance and ended up shooting meekly at Alphonse Areola.

Tarkowski had a header blocked at the back post off a deep McNeil corner and Harrison ballooned an effort high and wide from the edge of the box while McNeil and Onana were also off target with headers in the closing stages of the first half.

Everton had kept the likes of Bowen, Michail Antonio and Mohammed Kudus quiet in the first 45 minutes but it initially appeared as though Moyes had fired his troops up for the start of the second period.

Bowen had an early shot blocked and a couple of minutes later, after Patterson had been adjudged by referee Stuart Attwell to have committed a foul, Bowen stole in ahead of the static Doucouré but, thankfully, his header flew over the crossbar.

Three minutes after that, it was 1-0 to the Toffees. Branthwaite did well to muscle ahead of Antonio to win the ball 10 yards inside the opposition half and fed it to Calvert-Lewin. He exchanged passes with Harrison and despite the attentions of Kurt Zouma and Aguerd, he took a smart touch wide of the latter and drilled it into the corner of Areola's goal from just inside the box.

Bowen slammed a volley over after Mykolenko's awkward header and dropped to him inside Everton's penalty area and Edson Alvarez skied an effort into the stands before Doucouré came close to doubling' the Blues' lead.

This time, the French-born midfielder was put into the clear by Calvert-Lewin's towering knock-on but though he took it early, Areola did well to palm Doucouré's skidding shot wide of his left-hand post with an hour gone.

The home crowd at the London Stadium were becoming increasingly restless as the half wore in but it was Everton who were keeping the opposing keeper the busier as McNeil forced Areola into tipping a rising effort over and Calvert-Lewin smacked a shot off the underside of the bar from Onana's slide-rule pass, although the offside flag would have negated any goal.

Somewhat predictably, Everton, with some players visibly tiring, dug in for the final 15 minutes and dared West Ham to break them down but Pickford and his defence proved to be unbeatable, with the keeper even making a brilliant point-blank block to deny Kudus even though an offside decision would stop play afterwards in that instance as well.

Alvarez was well off target again from distance in the 85th minute, Pickford helped a cross-cum-shot from Aguerd behind a couple of minutes later and, after Calvert-Lewin had just failed to find Harrison in the box at the other end, Pickford made his last telling intervention. Paquetá's cross picked out the substitute Saïd Benrahma but England's No.1 was equal to his volley, parrying it away to safety.

Bit by bit, Dyche is establishing a foundation with this Everton team and with Brighton and Manchester United to come at Goodison either side of a trip back to London to face Crystal Palace, it’s going to be interesting to see where the team is by the end of November ahead of a daunting-looking December programme.

Regardless of potential forward progress, though, with the possibility of a points deduction hanging over their heads, every point is going to be vital. Depending on how the independent commission into Everton’s alleged profitability and sustainability breach rules in the coming weeks, the three picked up today could prove to be very important.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Updates

Everton traveled to London where they burst David Moyes’s West Ham bubble at the London Stadium with a top-drawer winning goal from Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Ashley Young sat this one out after getting two yellow cards at Anfield last week, with Seamus Coleman, Dele Alli and André Gomes still recovering from injuries.

Harrison and Garner started after coming off at half-time last week. Gana was on the bench where Mackenzie Hunt stepped up from the Under-21s but remained uunused. Michael Keane was initially named on the bench also but had to leave for family reasons half-an-hour before kick-off, with Sean Dyche choosing the safety of two goalkeepers, adding Andy Lonergan in his place.  

Everton pressed high from the off, keeping the home side mostly penned in their half without fashioning any threat on their goal. In the 5th minute, they had to staunch the first Hammers attack before McNeil got forward to make Everton's first cross.

Antonio almost got in behind but his cut-back was smothered as Everton's long-ball probing was achieving little and the home side started to slow the pace down. But a quick ball over the top almost found Bowen with Kudus asking questions and winning a free-kick, earning the first corner that was repelled by Calvert-Lewin.

Branthwaite showed an excellent turn of speed to thwart his man down the wing but Everton were not using their possession very well, Calvert-Lewin unable to control a nice forward ball to feet.  

Some snappy passing saw a great Everton move down the right that ended with Calvert-Lewin straying offside as he received and then lost the ball. At least he was getting the right side of his defender.

A Patterson error allowed Paqueta to set up Bowen but the player messed up his shot. An excellent Harrison steal looked like it had to be an Everton goal but his shot at Areola was poor.

There was a bit of a brawl after Tarkowski tackled Kudus firmly to finally spice things up a bit. Pickford was booked for getting involved with Kudus who jumped up fit as a fiddle after feigning injury. He was rightly booked as well. 

Mykolenko then went down after being stamped on then Kudus went down and won a free-kick. Calvert-Lewin finally got some forward ball and Doucoure won a corner that looked like it could have led to more at the far post before being cleared.

Everton forced a good turnover and the ball sat up for Harrison but his left-foot shot on the spin was horrendous. Everton pressed again but could not fashion a chance. They kept breaking up the West Ham counter only to suffer from a repeated lack of continuity in their own forward moves. 

More tenacious Everton play saw Mykolenko swing in a decent angled cross that flew high and wide off Calvert-Lewin's head.  Onana got tapped on the head by Kudus's flailing hand and needed treatment for a head injury (!) along with 30-second sin-bin. 

Some good work saw Everton build a ponderous attack down the left, Mykolenko with another cross that Onana could only head wide. Garner tackled Bowen superbly after McNeil had gifted him the ball. 

Everton will get credit for a workmanlike and industrious first half but ultimately, without at least one goal – they should really have had more – it was extremely disappointing fayre.

West Ham looked a lot more lively from the restart, Branthwaite getting a meaty thigh on a goal-bound shot from Bowen. West Ham got a foul when Kudus stood on McNeil's foot and Bowen almost scored again, heading off his shoulder.

Everton won a free-kick of their own but created nothing from it. But a fabulous interception by Branthwaite helped to force the ball forward Harrison playing a neat one-two with Calvert-Lewin who produced a top-drawer turn and strike just inside the post. A very very good goal. 

West Ham were suitably exercised, Bowen trying a difficult strike at the far post that flew over. Branthwaite tacked Antonio superbly but again bizarrely considered a foul, Paqueta's acrobatic strike going back into midfield. 

Everton tried to get forward but were their own worst enemy, playing themselves into trouble and backwards before West Ham built an attack with Alverez shooting over. 

Doucoure got free onto a headed backpass but, with only the goalie to beat,  he didn't connect properly and Areola was able to parry it just past the post. Another incredible Everton chance squandered. 

West Ham won a dangerous free-kick, Tarkowski getting annoyed with Alvarez jumping in with both feet. Mykolenko did brilliantly to win the ball and set up an attack which initially went backwards but the attack eventually saw McNeil's strike tipped over the bar by Areola, with nothing coming from the corner. 

The Hammers built another attack, Branthhwaite having to stall Bowen for a corner, with the ball coming off Onana's arm: no penalty. Branthwaite again did superbly to frustrate Paqueta, Patterson adding salt that saw the Hammers man pick up a yellow card for his protests. 

Garner seemed to get free but couldn't fashion a strike and ended up chipping the ball back to Areola. West Ham won a corner but it was defended well by Everton. Benrahma tried a cross that was easy for Pickford. 

At the other end, Calvert-Lewin got free and smashed his shot off the underside of the bar but he was just a fraction offside. Benrahma was booked for a poor challenge from behind on Garner. 

Pickford made an incredible point-blank stop from Paqueta but he was offside. Onana did well to stop a West Ham move as the game entered the last 10 minutes of normal time. As West Ham searched for their goals, Branthwaite was an absolute rock in the Everton defence. 

Kudus got free but pulled back straight to Onana who could clear, Alverez fouling him for another West Ham yellow card.  Everton were having to soak up almost continuous pressure now, Alverez shooting over. 

Pickford had to palm over a deep hanging cross as things became increasingly ragged in the Everton area while Calvert-Lewin looked to relieve the pressure, almost setting up Harrison for a tap-in. The Everton striker then made way for Youssef Chermiti.

Benrahma powered in a fine volley that Pickford parried superbly, even if it was possibly going wide, as Everton needed to hang on for the final 6 added minutes.

The hugely determined Blues did their best to get the ball away from their goal but it just kept coming back, forcing 11 men back and denying any outball. A late Ings cross was gratefully held by Pickford as Branthwaite was rightly accorded Player of the Match, with Pickford making another vital collection before the whistle finally went on a fantastic result.  

West Ham Utd:  Areola, Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Cresswell (85' Ings), Alvarez [Y:83'], Ward-Prowse (73' Soucek), Paqueta [Y:71'], Kudus [Y:28'], Bowen, Antonio (57' Benrahma [Y:76']).

Subs: Fabianski, Ogbonna, Mavropanos, Kehrer, Fornals, Cornet.

Everton:  Pickford [Y:28'], Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Onana, Garner, Doucoure, Harrison, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin (88' Chermiti).

Subs: Virginia, Hunt, Keane Lonergan, Danjuma, Beto, Godfrey, Gana, Dobbin.

Michael Kenrick

Match Preview

Everton are back in the Capital this weekend, the scene of their only away win of the Premier League campaign so far, as they take on David Moyes’s West Ham at the London Stadium.

This was the fixture that represented the final straw for Farhad Moshiri and the Everton Board last season where Frank Lampard’s tenure was concerned as the Blues turned in a dismal performance and were beaten 2-0. It's also poignant given Moyes's past association with Everton and Chairman Bill Kenwright who passed away earlier this week. 

Lampard’s successor, Sean Dyche, will be hoping for an altogether better outcome in his first meeting with the Hammers as the Blues’ boss and he spoke of what was a galvanised squad in training this week following the frustration of last Saturday’s Anfield derby.

Everton yet again found themselves on the wrong end of refereeing controversy in the all-Merseyside affair when Craig Pawson failed to show a second yellow card to Ibrahima Konaté for his foul on Beto.

That would have evened the numbers up at 10 each following Ashley Young’s dismissal late in the first half but Liverpool kept their full complement on the pitch and eventually ran out 2-0 winners.

“Obviously the game last weekend… I think it’s fair to say was affected by a decision,” Dyche said in his press conference at Finch Farm today. “I think we all know that so that’s slightly an anomaly, especially in such an important game.

“[The players have] been really good this week I must say. They felt a little bit aggrieved with what happened last week with the decision going against them and I think they have responded in the right manner this week. It’s been a very good training week so I’m looking forward to going into the game.”

Young’s red card means that he will be suspended this weekend and it opens the door for Nathan Patterson to stake his claim to the right-back slot on a more permanent basis, or at least until Seamus Coleman returns. (The skipper has continued to train with the first team this week but is still not yet match fit.)

The young Scot has started only four of the Toffees’ nine League games so far — and that was largely when Young was playing in place of Vitalii Mykolenko on the other side of defence — but he is expected to start on Sunday, either in his natural role or on the right side of a five-man back line.

Few other changes are expected from Dyche who will have been impressed by Amadou Onana’s last two outings and could persist with the Belgian’s midfield partnership with James Garner at the London Stadium.

Moyes, meanwhile, will likely restore the bulk of the contingent that he withheld from the starting XI in Greece on Thursday evening in the Europa League. The Scot took the opportunity afforded by the Hammers’ two wins to open the group stage of that competition to make seven changes to the team that was walloped by Aston Villa last weekend.

That should see the likes of Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen, Kurt Zouma, Vladimir Coufal and Nayef Aguerd come back into their line-up as they look for their first League win for a month.

West Ham began the season strongly, winning three of their first four matches but defeats against Manchester City and Liverpool were followed by a home draw with Newcastle and the 4-1 loss at Villa Park, with a routine home win over Sheffield United sandwiched in the middle.

They remain a dangerous side but one whose vulnerabilities could be exploited by Everton if they can replicate the form they showed at the Gtech Community Stadium a month ago and against Bournemouth on 7 October.

Kick-off: 1 pm, Sunday 29 October 2023
Referee: Stuart Attwell
VAR: Simon Hooper
Last Time: West Ham United 2 - 0 Everton

Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Onana, Garner, Harrison, McNeil, Doucouré, Calvert-Lewin

Lyndon Lloyd

^* Unfortunately, we cannot control other sites' content policies and therefore cannot guarantee that links to external reports will remain active.