Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the only goal of the game as Everton beat West Ham 1-0 on Sunday to give themselves breathing space above the Premier League relegation zone.
The England forward found the net early in the second half with an arrowing low shot from the edge of the area, and the home side were unable to respond.
There was a minute’s applause before kick-off at the London Stadium to celebrate the lives of former Everton chairman Bill Kenwright and late Manchester United and England midfielder Bobby Charlton, both of whom died earlier this month.
Everton manager Sean Dyche and West Ham boss David Moyes, who formerly managed the Goodison Park club, were joined on the pitch by Geoff Hurst, Charlton’s England teammate in the 1966 World Cup final.
West Ham had a chance to take the lead midway through the first half when Lucas Paqueta chipped the ball over Nathan Patterson on the left and found Jarrod Bowen but the England international scuffed his shot wide from about 15 yards.
Paqueta then dallied on the ball, allowing Jack Harrison to pick it up and surge forward, with two other Everton attackers joining him in a three-on-one situation, but he produced a tame shot straight at Alphonse Areola, to the frustration of his teammates.
West Ham
West Ham had another chance to break the deadlock in the early minutes of the second half but Bowen failed to keep his header down after he was found by an Aaron Cresswell free-kick.
Everton broke the deadlock in the 51st minute through Calvert-Lewin’s low shot from the edge of the box after he received the ball from Harrison and produced a clever shimmy before shooting.
The visitors had a golden chance to stretch their lead just before the hour mark but Areola did well to push Abdoulaye Doucoure’s shot behind for a corner.
Calvert-Lewin lashed the ball against the underside of the bar in the 75th minute but was flagged for offside as buoyant Everton threatened again to extend their lead.
Jordan Pickford saved late in the game from Said Benrahma as time ran out for the Hammers.
The win for Everton lifts them five points clear of the relegation zone while it was West Ham’s fourth defeat in six league games after a fine start to the season.
AFP
