Sigurdsson secures much needed win for Everton over lacklustre West Ham
Everton moved out of the bottom three with a much needed 2-0 win over West Ham at Goodison Park, ending their run of four straight defeats in the Premier League.
Bernard put the home side in front after just 16 minutes, lifting some of the pressure Toffees’ boss Marco Silva would have been feeling before kick off.
A much improved Everton side dominated the remainder of the first half, with Richarlson smashing the post in an effort to double their lead.
Walcott rattled the crossbar with a sumptuous strike from outside the 18-yard box after the restart, before Alex Iwobi was through one-on-one but hit the ball straight at Roberto Jimenez.
Everton were almost punished for all of their missed opportunities, but England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford denied Angelo Ogbonna with a fantastic reaction save.
Substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson secured all three points with an absolute screamer into the top corner from the edge of the box as Everton earned only their third win of the season.
Marco Silva made five changes in an attempt to end Everton's poor run in the Premier League.
Djibril Sidibe was handed a first start in place of the suspended Seamus Coleman while Tom Davies, Theo Walcott, Andre Gomes and Bernard all came in.
West Ham handed starts to Arthur Masuaka and Pablo Fornals while Andriy Yarmolenko was among the substitutes.
The home side had the first chance of the game when Theo Walcott brought a ball forward down brilliantly on the edge of the box, turned Angelo Ogbonna, cut inside and tried to curl one towards the bottom right corner. However, the West Ham defender did just enough to get back and deflect it wide for a corner.
Everton should have been 1-0 up from the second corner that came in after Walcott’s effort.
Tom Davies was completely free at the back post and with the goal at his mercy, he hit it straight at Roberto Jimenez. The West Ham keeper reacted well to palm it away, but he never should have had a chance.
The Toffee’s did take the lead just seven minutes later and this time it was Jimenez that should have done better.
Theo Walcott unlocked the defence with a disguised through ball to Bernard, before some great footwork and a touch of luck saw the Brazilian through but on the tightest of angles. Jimenez rushed out, but Bernard was able squeeze it underneath him and into the back of the net.
Richarlison almost doubled their lead as his first time strike cannoned back off the post moments later from the right side of the box.
Everton continued to dominate the first half but couldn’t create any clear chances. West Ham were the ones looking like the out of form team as the sides went into half-time at 1-0.
Andriy Yarmolenko, who was a surprise omission from the starting line up, replaced Felipe Anderson at the start of the second half.
Everton had the ball in the back of the net almost immediately, but Richarlison was offside from Lucas Digne’s cross.
Pablo Fornals had a terrific chance to put West Ham back on level terms moments later, but failed to even hit the target. Yarmolenko found him in space in front of goal, but the Spaniard dragged his effort wide.
Everton continued to push for another. Digne’s curling effort from a free-kick was just inches past the right post, before another decent header from Yerry Mina was just too close to Jimenez from a corner.
Walcott hit an absolute beauty which rattled the crossbar from 20 yards out, but again Everton just couldn’t find the back of the net.
Another brilliant opportunity fell Everton’s way and again they failed to double their lead. Alex Iwobi was clean through with just the keeper to beat but hit hit it straight at him. Jimenez did well to react but Iwobi should have puit the game beyond doubt.
Walcott again saw another effort kept out by Jimenez, but this time the keeper had no idea about it. The 30-year-old’s effort from close range hit Jimenez in the head and flew over the crossbar.
It was Pickford to the rescue as Marco Silva’s side were almost punished for all of their missed opportunities. Following a corner which West Ham were fortunate to win, Ogbonna blasted it towards goal, it took a deflection and Pickford stayed big to make a brilliant reaction save.
Gylfi Sigurdsson almost made an immediate impact as he came on as a substitute hitting one first time but Jimenez did well diving low to his right to squeeze the ball away after seeing it late.
Sigurdsson secured all three points moments later in stoppage time with an emphatic strike, smashing it into the top left corner from the edge of the area.
Absolutely nothing Jimenez could do about that as Everton finally found their second and ran out 2-0 winners.
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