West Ham United’s Angelo Ogbonna headed a second-half winner to give David Moyes’ side a hard-fought Premier League victory at Everton.
In a game of few clear-cut chances, defender Ogbonna netted the only goal in the 74th minute, rising inside the six-yard box to flick home Jarrod Bowen’s corner.
The Hammers dominated the first half but lacked incisiveness in the final third and called Jordan Pickford into action just once.
The England keeper palmed out Bowen’s stinging shot and while Tomas Soucek thought he had found the breakthrough with his follow-up from close range, it was ruled out for offside.
Alex Iwobi missed a glorious opportunity for Everton when he failed to make any contact with the ball from six yards out then in the second half the Nigeria forward’s spin and strike was blocked.
The Toffees could not find an equaliser as their winning run in the league under Rafael Benitez at Goodison Park ended.
West Ham’s victory takes them up to sixth in the table as they leapfrog Everton, who drop to seventh.
Sweet victory for Moyes over Benitez
Benitez and Moyes were familiar foes on Merseyside during the 2000s when the Spaniard was with Liverpool and the Scotsman at Everton.
Sunday’s victory will taste sweet for Moyes on his return to the club he managed for 11 years – especially as Benitez got the better of him on most occasions during that period.
Benitez has made an impressive start to his time with the blue half of the city and this was just his side’s second league defeat of the campaign.
Summer signings Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend have proved to be excellent bargain buys and the majority of Everton’s attacking play came via the English duo on either flank.
But without the presence of the injured Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison up front, the hosts struggled to test visiting keeper Lukasz Fabianski, who had a comfortable afternoon.
Stand-in striker Salomon Rondon is yet to get off the mark and came agonisingly close to breaking his duck when he flicked Townsend’s dangerous delivery wide of the far post.
But it was West Ham who took all three points as Ogbonna escaped Ben Godfrey to deflect Bowen’s excellent corner past Pickford and ensure the Londoners picked up just the second victory in their last six games.
Everton players disputed the awarding of the corner from which the goal was scored, when Michail Antonio jumped to challenge for a high ball with Pickford – but replays suggested the last touch came from the goalkeeper’s hand.
A clean sheet was welcome too, as it was just their third shut-out in the last 19 top-flight matches, with former Everton loanee Kurt Zouma playing his part by making a vital block from Gray’s shot late on.
The visitors could have had a second right at the end but Bowen’s curled effort was superbly tipped away by Pickford.
Moyes’ side are back in action on Thursday in the Europa League against Genk, knowing a third victory in the group will take them to the cusp of the knockout stages.
Player of the match
RiceDeclan Rice
Everton
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Squad number14Player nameTownsend
Average rating5.39
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Squad number11Player nameGray
Average rating5.32
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Squad number16Player nameDoucouré
Average rating5.15
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Squad number5Player nameKeane
Average rating5.04
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Squad number23Player nameColeman
Average rating4.97
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Squad number6Player nameAllan
Average rating4.78
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Squad number22Player nameGodfrey
Average rating4.70
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Squad number12Player nameDigne
Average rating4.66
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Squad number24Player nameGordon
Average rating4.61
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Squad number1Player namePickford
Average rating4.12
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Squad number33Player nameRondón
Average rating3.88
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Squad number17Player nameIwobi
Average rating3.72
West Ham United
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Squad number41Player nameRice
Average rating8.08
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Squad number21Player nameOgbonna
Average rating7.91
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Squad number4Player nameZouma
Average rating7.54
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Squad number20Player nameBowen
Average rating7.52
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Squad number9Player nameAntonio
Average rating7.44
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Squad number3Player nameCresswell
Average rating7.34
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Squad number22Player nameBenrahma
Average rating7.26
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Squad number28Player nameSoucek
Average rating7.25
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Squad number31Player nameJohnson
Average rating7.04
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Squad number1Player nameFabianski
Average rating7.02
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Squad number8Player nameFornals
Average rating7.00
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Squad number15Player nameDawson
Average rating6.70
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Squad number10Player nameLanzini
Average rating6.37
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Squad number7Player nameYarmolenko
Average rating6.03
Line-ups
Everton
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Pickford
- 23Coleman
- 22Godfrey
- 5Keane
- 12Digne
- 14Townsend
- 16Doucouré
- 6Allan
- 17IwobiSubstituted forGordonat 79′minutes
- 11Gray
- 33Rondón
Substitutes
- 2Kenny
- 4Holgate
- 13Mina
- 15Begovic
- 24Gordon
- 25Gbamin
- 26Davies
- 53Tyrer
- 61Dobbin
West Ham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Fabianski
- 31Johnson
- 4Zouma
- 21Ogbonna
- 3Cresswell
- 28SoucekSubstituted forDawsonat 79′minutes
- 41Rice
- 20BowenSubstituted forYarmolenkoat 90+4′minutes
- 22BenrahmaSubstituted forLanziniat 87′minutes
- 8FornalsBooked at 31mins
- 9AntonioBooked at 10mins
Substitutes
- 7Yarmolenko
- 10Lanzini
- 11Vlasic
- 13Areola
- 15Dawson
- 23Diop
- 26Masuaku
- 50Ashby
- 75Baptiste
- Referee:
- Stuart Attwell
- Attendance:
- 39,132
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Everton 0, West Ham United 1.
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Second Half ends, Everton 0, West Ham United 1.
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Attempt missed. Ben Godfrey (Everton) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Demarai Gray with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Everton. Conceded by Kurt Zouma.
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Attempt blocked. Michail Antonio (West Ham United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Declan Rice.
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Substitution, West Ham United. Andriy Yarmolenko replaces Jarrod Bowen.
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Offside, West Ham United. Pablo Fornals tries a through ball, but Michail Antonio is caught offside.
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Attempt blocked. Demarai Gray (Everton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Attempt missed. Salomón Rondón (Everton) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Lucas Digne with a cross.
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Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Jordan Pickford.
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Attempt saved. Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Michail Antonio.
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Substitution, West Ham United. Manuel Lanzini replaces Saïd Benrahma.
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Attempt missed. Declan Rice (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right following a corner.
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Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Allan.
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Attempt blocked. Angelo Ogbonna (West Ham United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Lucas Digne.
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Attempt missed. Ben Godfrey (Everton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Demarai Gray with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Everton. Conceded by Angelo Ogbonna.
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Substitution, Everton. Anthony Gordon replaces Alex Iwobi.
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Substitution, West Ham United. Craig Dawson replaces Tomas Soucek because of an injury.