West Ham 0-1 Everton: Instant Reaction | DCL goal caps a battling Blues performance

Starting Lineups

Sean Dyche chose to keep the lineup unchanged apart from Nathan Patterson coming in for Ashley Young who was suspended for this game following his sending off last weekend against Liverpool.

For West Ham United, David Moyes gave the Toffees’ January target Mohammed Kudus his first Premier League start.

Match Summary

Before kickoff there was a minute’s applause in memory of Sir Bobby Charlton and Toffees chairman Bill Kenwright, both of whom passed away this week.

West Ham did not start the game like they had just played on Thursday, looking the livelier of the two sides as Everton chose to stand off and let the hosts build out from the back. Kudus for his part looked the liveliest on the pitch, with both Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen both looking to get behind the backline down the flanks.

However, this really was a game between two sides that don’t like the ball, and it showed. The Toffees were happy to hold off and let the Hammers play out from the back, and only as the half progressed that Dyche’s side started stepping up and putting more pressure on the hosts.

Midway through the half a big tackle from James Tarkowski on Mohamed Kudus looked to have ignited some tempers, but that quickly dissipated as well.

The second half started with both sides showing some intent, like they had their ears chewed off in the dressing rooms. Early half-chances from both teams though were quickly forgotten when two moments of brilliance, first from Jarrad Branthwaite, and then from Dominic Calvert-Lewin put the Blues ahead.

The young defender stepped in front of a long ball to Michail Antonio and played it up to DCL. A give-and-go with Jack Harrison then had the Everton #9 in the box with the ball at his feet, and he turned to give himself some room in front of Nayef Aguerd and fire into the far corner.

That did rouse London Stadium for a few minutes, but no clear chances ensued for the hosts as the minutes ticked on and we went into the last quarter of the game. Moyes is spoiled for choices on his deep bench nowadays, and threw everything on in an attempt to level the game without really creating any clear-cut opportunities with both Branthwaite and Jordan Pickford standing firm.

In the end, Everton did enough to come away from London with another three points after that win away at Brentford, and now have ten points from ten games in front of Farhad Moshiri who was present at the game sitting next to 777 Partners’ Josh Wander.