West Ham produced a smash and grab performance to take all
three points off Everton on David Moyes's return to Goodison Park on New Years'
Day. It was a victory laced with irony, not least as his first at Goodison Park
from the opposing dug-out.
Everton missed the chance to go a point behind local rivals Liverpool at the top of the Premier League as Tomas Soucek’s late strike earned West Ham a 1-0 win at Goodison Park on Friday.
In a disappointing game of few chances, Soucek was in the
right place to stab home Aaron Cresswell’s deflected shot four minutes from
time as David Moyes enjoyed a winning return to his former club.
Victory for the Hammers moves them to within three points of
third despite sitting 10th in the table.
Everton on the other hand were left to rue a huge missed
opportunity to bolster their European credentials.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men had enjoyed nearly a week off after
their clash with Manchester City on Monday was postponed due to a coronavirus
outbreak among the City squad.
Ancelotti was able to welcome back Richarlison from a
concussion and James Rodriguez made his return from injury off the bench in the
second-half, but the Toffees rarely put West Ham stand-in goalkeeper Darren
Randolph under any pressure.
The visitors had the best chance of the first-half when
another Cresswell shot flew across goal and this time beyond Jarrod Bowen at
the back post.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored a hat-trick when the sides met
in the League Cup in September, but the England international was largely
anonymous.
West Ham were playing for the third time in six days, yet it
was Moyes’s men who ended the game stronger and grabbed the late winner.
Soucek’s goals from midfield have played a big part in his
side’s success this season and the Czech international scored for the fourth
time in seven games when Cresswell’s effort broke kindly to him.
Later, Manchester United have the chance to move level on points with Liverpool when they host in-form Aston Villa, who could go third with victory at Old Trafford.
-AFP