After registering their first league win of 2024 against Brentford last weekend, West Ham will look to make it two consecutive wins when they lock horns against Everton at Goodison Park this weekend. It’s also an emotional homecoming of sorts for Hammers boss David Moyes, who enjoyed some of his best years as manager at Everton in the 2000’s before taking up the Man United job.
West Ham’s 4-2 win over Brentford saw the Hammers pick up three much needed points, but it also underlined how important Lucas Paqueta is to the club currently. The infographic below pretty much tells the story- they’re a completely different team with the Brazilian playmaker in the starting XI. And it perhaps was no coincidence that their win over the Bees coincided with Paqueta’s return to the first team from injury.
The Brentford game also saw Jarrod Bowen score the club’s first ever hat trick at the London Stadium. It feels a tad weird that there’s been no home hat trick scorer for 7 odd years, but it’s a true stat- the previous one was away at Norwich by Michail Antonio in 2020, and before him, by Andy Carroll against Arsenal in 2016!
Everton’s form hasn’t been as bad as West Ham’s this year, but there is definitely some cause for concern- they last won a league game against Burnley in December. Since then, they’re winless in nine games, but five of the last six have been draws.
In the modern PL era, the Toffees have never gone down, although there have been some really close shaves with relegation in recent campaigns (21/22 & 22/23 for example). There were worries when they got a 10 point deduction from the league earlier this season, but the recent reduction of that penalty to six points has given them some much needed breathing space in the bottom half of the table.
Without the four-point relief, Sean Dyche’s men would have 21 points to their name, which would have them just above the drop zone, with 18th placed Luton Town also having a game in hand.
The win over Brentford has seen West Ham go level on points with 7th place Brighton (they’re only below the Seagulls on goal difference).
Kalvin Phillips is again available for selection after serving his one game ban, but Moyes is likely to keep faith with the XI that did the job against Brentford. Everton have injury doubts over Andre Onana and Idrissa Gueye, with both players likely to be given late fitness tests.
Everton v West Ham (2 March 2024 (Sat)- 15.00 UK time)
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