Everton suffered a 3-1 Premier League defeat to West Ham United on Saturday afternoon at Goodison Park.
In a competitive first period, the Blues had a golden chance to go 1-0 ahead late in the half when a Kurt Zouma handball saw Sean Dyche’s men awarded a penalty, Beto stepped up but was denied by Alphonse Areola.
Everton’s forward did get the better of the West Ham goalkeeper, though, early in the second half with a fine header. But the Blues were pegged back just after the hour mark when Zouma atoned for an error with a headed goal of his own from a corner.
The away side sealed the win with two late goals as a Tomas Soucek volley in second-half stoppage time was followed up minutes later by a counter-attacking move that was finished by Edson Alvarez.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin dropped to the bench for the contest, while Idrissa Gana Gueye missed out with a groin injury as Amadou Onana and Beto were recalled to the starting line-up by Dyche.
It was a lively opening for the returning Beto who was using his physicality to great effect in the opening exchanges, battling and hustling well with the West Ham backline. His first effort of the game came in the fifth minute when he attempted to feed a pass out wide. The ball was intercepted but ricocheted back into his path and the forward took on a shot that whisked wide of Areola’s left post.
Despite the initial bright start from Everton, it was the away side who brought about the game’s first save as an opening in the Blues’ defence invited Alvarez to take on a long-distance strike - Jordan Pickford was equal to the on-target effort and got down well to palm it away from danger.
That effort led to a change in momentum as the Hammers started to see more of the ball inside the Everton half, creating an air of nerves across Goodison Park.
Defender Konstantinos Mavropanos was next to go close for West Ham, meeting a James Ward-Prowse corner with a header on the edge of the six-yard box, but thankfully, directing his effort wide of Pickford’s goal.
Everton rode out West Ham’s pressure well and nearly got themselves ahead midway through the first half. Dwight McNeil dropped into the gap between the Hammers’ defence and midfield to receive a pass from James Tarkowski, the winger turned well before threading a clever through ball to Beto inside the box.
The Portuguese forward took an excellent touch to get the ball out of his feet before striking it goalwards, forcing a good stop from West Ham’s Areola. The chance calmed the Blues down and Dyche’s men started to get a foothold in the contest.
The Toffees’ pressure started to build and finally helped force a key moment in the game when, just a minute before half-time, a chipped Beto cross hit the hand of Zouma inside the West Ham penalty area. Referee Craig Pawson initially waved away Everton appeals, but play was stopped shortly after.
Pawson was sent to the screen by VAR officials and, following the review, awarded Everton’s first penalty of the 2023/24 campaign. Having won the spot-kick, Beto stepped up to take it, but the West Ham goalkeeper dived correctly to his left and pushed the effort away, consequently, keeping the game goalless as the half-time whistle blew soon after.
Everton started the second period on the front foot and McNeil was first to test Areola as he smashed a flash effort from 25 yards out that forced a good save from the visitors’ No.1.
West Ham showed some threat of their own, with a weaving run from Jarrod Bowen down the Blues’ left only being halted by a fine James Tarkowski tackle as the West Ham man shaped up to unleash a strike at goal from inside the box.
However, Everton remained on top and got their just reward 11 minutes into the second half. From deep on the right flank, James Garner swung a superb cross into the six-yard box which Beto met with a towering header, finally getting the better of Areola to send Goodison into raptures.
West Ham couldn’t cope with the intensity of the home side after the goal and the Blues came agonisingly close to doubling their advantage as the game approached the hour mark. Harrison chipped a ball across the penalty area towards McNeil who guided a first-time volley goalwards - but again Areola denied Dyche's side.
Although firmly on top, the Blues’ lead was wiped out minutes later. The away side won a corner which was whipped in by dead-ball specialist Ward-Prowse, former Everton defender Zouma rose highest to head it past Pickford and draw the game level.
Everton remained undeterred and were nearly ahead again eight minutes later when Beto, still a thorn in the side of the away team, battled well to carve open some space to strike a shot from just outside the West Ham penalty area that took a deflection and looked to be looping in.
But frustratingly, again, Areola produced a brilliant save to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.
The resulting set-piece was nearly bundled home by Doucoure before being cleared off the line, then West Ham had a huge chance of their own when Kudus successfully received a looped ball behind the Everton defence and tried to round Pickford, the Blues’ number one produced an accurate sliding challenge to block his attempt out for a corner.
In desperate search of a second, Dyche made an attacking change with a little over 15 minutes left as Calvert-Lewin replaced goalscorer Beto.
Everton’s No.9 came close to scoring within seconds of coming on, as a low Doucoure cross from the left was tipped away by Mavropanos’ outstretched foot as Calvert-Lewin flung himself towards the ball.
Harrison teed up Ben Godfrey seconds later but the defender’s powerful strike flew wide of the West Ham goal. The Blues really started to pile the pressure on as we entered the final 10 minutes, with Areola again forced into a low save to push away a low Calvert-Lewin strike.
Andre Gomes joined the action in place of Jack Harrison and was next to test Areola who was forced into his ninth save of the game.
The Blues kept pushing for a winner but were undone in cruel circumstances in the 90th minute when Soucek received a deep cross, chested it down and then struck a curling strike into the top corner of Pickford’s net.
West Ham sealed the victory in the dying moments of second-half stoppage time when the Blues were caught out by a counter-attack as they committed bodies forward. Bowen drove into the Everton half before feeding the ball out to Alvarez who chipped his finish over Pickford to grab the away side’s third.
Everton return to action next Saturday (12.30pm GMT) when they travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United.
By David Hughes / Everton FC
