Everton chalk up another loss in their rapidly crumbling quest for Europe

Another glorious afternoon of Spring Sunshine and a 3 pm Saturday afternoon kickoff – what more could you ask for? A win, that’s what. As David Moyes returns to West Ham for his 750th Premier League game as a manager, let’s hope he has something to make it big... or if he goes all soft on his former club and the jeopardy they find themselves in near the relegation zone?

First Half

The Hammers kicked off and probed forward into the massed latte and charcoal-kitted Everton side. Mykolenko looked to release Barry down the left and he looked a bit more lively than last week.

Everton built down the right and McNeil had a moment before he was closed down. Everton continued to work the ball back and around, Pickford's low punt far too strong for anyone but Hermansen. Another long ball almost fell for Ndiaye, bouncing behind off his thigh.

Walker-Peters was in sharply on Mykolenko, giving him a long throw chance, headed on well by Barry that no one seemed to expect. Another forward ball from Mykolenko went straight through to Hermansen.

The first Hammers attack saw Bowen looking very dangerous but Mykolenko blocked him. Next, Summerville beat Gueye but Garner was across to brilliantly clip the ball off his toes... but somehow that was a foul? Tarkppwski was livid. Soucek headed well over from the free-kick.

Keane was sandbagged by two but KDH broke forward with the ball and McNeil clipped a cross to Barry at the far post but he tried some acrobatic move that failed to connect. Pablo was fouled by Tarkowski; a good ball forward had to be headed behind by O'Brien. The corner was half cleared but Fernandes saw a chance to shoot and a vital deflection took it high over the bar.

A great break by Dewsbury-Hall saw him play what looked like a perfect pass to Barry who just stepped off it and let Hermanasen gather... why didn't he lunge for the ball?

West Ham got forward again, a great ball in behind the Everton defence but the pull back was initially stopped. But they had second and third bites at the cherry, the ball falling for Bowen who again needed to be blocked well at source as he set to shoot.

Summerville was fouled by McNeil, although again, he may have actually got the ball. Thankfully, the free-kick was wasted by Fernandes.

West Ham had had a good spell but Everton got forward and won their first corner off Mavropanos. Garner with a great delivery to the far post, but it was  Mavropanos headed well clear, and they were up the field quickly.

Ndiaye had a nicely little cameo to get the ball out to McNeil but his cross in was cleared and O'Brien then fouled. The ball in saw a good bout of head tennis before Hermansen cleared.

It was highly contested in midfield, good play from Dewsbury-Hall, then Mavropanos intercepting his pass to Ndiaye. But it was now pretty even and fairly open, both sides looking for an opening,

Gueye looked to have fouled Walker-Peters but the play was allowed to go on, and Ndiaye looked to release Barry again but he was no match for Disasi, boy against man.

Everton tried to keep it tight, but a hospital pass to Dewsbury-Hall saw Keane handle the rebound. Diouf got behind the line well, but then overplayed it behind. A bizarre clash with Diouf almost kneeling to try and dispossess O'Brien. The long throw almost fell nicely... but not quite.

Barry then saw a chance but didn't quite connect properly with his low shot... but at least it was a shot. Ndiaye worked hard after a great recovery by Mykolenko and tried to exchange passes with McNeil but could not fashion a shot in the crowded area.

Summerville was blocked by O'Brien for the first yellow card of the game. Diouf's free-kick was booted in straight to Pickford. But The Hammers had a couple more efforts to get balls in, not making much of them in the end.

Everton worked it around well down the right until O'Brien overhit his cross. Everton then had to defend, Ndiaye and Gana teaming up well to deny Walker-Peters.

A great move from back to front ripped through Everton but Bowen shot across the face of goal.  West Ham looked to finish on a high, but the whistle went with them still working their attack. A pretty even half with each side looking to create, but largely failing to do so.

Second Half

Dewsbury-Hall's up-and-under bounced out of play. It was scrappy before Diouf pushed over McNeil, no foul, so Tarkowski body-checked Sommerville: yellow card. West Ham got upfield, Mavropanos with a short long throw.

Summerville did brilliantly to get through and cross for Castellanos at the far post but Pickford came out all arms and legs, catching him after deflecting the ball behind for a corner. VAR checked: no penalty. But Soucek was positioned perfectly for an unstoppable header from Bowen's brilliant corner to the near post.

Barry was again easily defeated by Disasi as Everton tried to up the ante. Everton needed to respond, but went for the slow backwards, forwards,  and sideways until Garner got to the byeline only to pass the ball softly to Hermansen, while Moyes dithered and dallied, with Irvine and Baines wondering what to do.

Bowen dribbled in and went down but wasn't fouled. Bowen then stalled an Evertob attack down the left. Ndiaye won a corner. Garner's low corner didn't get past Bowen at the near post as Moyes acted,

Garner was booked for his body check on Sommerville, who stayed down after falling awkwardly... but strangely not required ot go off after treatment?  Moyes finally ,made changes 12 minutes after going behind, leaving Barry on the field.

A cross into the Everton penalty area and Disasi went down after feeling Garner's hands on his back, no penalty. But Everton were still slow in the build-up. Ndiaye drew a foul off Sommerville.  Garner's delivery not great, Iroegbunam's effort woeful.

Barry finally pressured Disasi and forced a corner. Dewsbury-Hall, delivery wwas cleared to Gana who played through a lovely ball to Iroegbunam but he neither shot properly nor crossed it as it bobbled in and was easily cleared.

Ndiaye was challenging Diouf, winning another corner that was worked around very well, Barry's header coming off Soucek's head on the line and up, onto the crossbar!

Everton had successfully ramped up the pressure on the West Ham goal, Nuno using subs to break the tempo. George got called for a very marginal offside by the linesman. Somerville got forward and almost set up Wilson before Everton resumed the slow build-up.

A clear handball by Fernades behind Barry in the West Ham area. No Penalty!?! Grappling motion??? What? Should at least have been a corner but the referee gave the Hammers a goal-kick.

Sommerville tried to dribble in again, but Iroegbunam did very well to come away with the ball. Everton went upfield again, and this time, the ball worked around until it was set up beautifully by a lovely cushioned header from Tarkowski for Dewsbury-Hall to hammer it into the net.

Everton kept working it forward and it looked like a good attack until the deep cross was overhit, That meant it was an opportunity for West Ham to attack and what a mess as the Everton defence were in as a ball chipped to the back post was nodded down by Diouf for Wilson to score easily from close range.

Tyrique George did his best to create space and curl it into the top corner but the ball flew past the angle. Everton did their best to work it forward but West Ham kept trying to break, Alcaraz booked for a foul on Sommerville.

Everton pressed forward again but the cross in was laimed by Hermansen and the referee finally blew the whistle after 10 minutes of added time, with Everton chalking up another loss in their rapidly crumbling quest for Europe.

West Ham United: Hermansen, Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf, Fernandes, Soucek, Summerville, Bowen, Pablo (81' Wilson [Y:90+5']), Castellanos [Y:71'] (79' Potts).

Subs: Areola, Traore, Todibo, Wan-Bissaka, Magassa, Scarles, Kante.

Everton: Pickford; Mykolenko, Keane, Tarkowski [Y47'], O'Brien [Y:38'] (65' Iroegbunam); Garner [Y:64'], Gueye (86' Alcaraz [Y:90+9']); Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, McNeil (65' George); Barry.

Subs: Travers, Patterson, Dibling, Coleman, Rohl, Armstrong.

//

Frank Fearns

3 Posted 25/04/2026 at 14:01:37

I'm outraged, Darren, but I will see in a few hours!

Paul Murray

4 Posted 25/04/2026 at 14:04:08

Out of touch with us, Davie.

Not happy travelling down here to see that twat up front.

Kevin Naylor

5 Posted 25/04/2026 at 14:04:58

As predictable as night following day.

Alan J Thompson

6 Posted 25/04/2026 at 14:07:11

And an overwhelming number of strikers on the bench, almost outnumbered by right backs...

So who knows who will get ready at the usual 70th minute?

Si Cooper

7 Posted 25/04/2026 at 14:33:44

If Barry does need to be subbed, there is no ‘like-for-like' replacement so we may get to see the alternate attacking options many of us think should have been utilised more already this season.

Bowen and Walker-Peters on the right, Diouf and Summerville on the left are the players we really need to nullify.

Dwight may be willing but will he actually be able to stay with Diouf? If Summerville and /or Bowen get away from the full-backs will our centre-backs be agile enough to plug any gaps?

It's away and they desperately need the points, so I think keeping it tight to start with is sensible, but we can't be too passive or simply reactive and need to go for the coup de grace if we do engineer any sort of lead.

Come on, you swashbuckling Blues!

John Collins

9 Posted 25/04/2026 at 14:41:03

That's us out of the top half of the table.

Another progressive manager has joined the 3 above us in the table. Man City to come next... we will get nothing out of that game.

Today's game sees us with a chance to get back in the top half of the table. Will that see a more positive approach from David today?

Bill Gall

11 Posted 25/04/2026 at 14:53:00

Difficult game that will not matter on the formation, and it will be more on the attitude of the players and who will have the desire for the 3pts.The threat of relegation against a possible European spot.

Jim Bennings

12 Posted 25/04/2026 at 14:53:15

All the hallmarks of a narrow loss...

Jay Harris

13 Posted 25/04/2026 at 14:56:47

Dave he’s more likely to get 3 yellow cards than 3 goals. lol

Dave Abrahams

14 Posted 25/04/2026 at 14:59:07

Jay (13) Jay do want to take the bet or not— that Barry will not scores 3 today — 10/1 odds you are getting !

Si Cooper

15 Posted 25/04/2026 at 14:59:42

At least we won’t have the terrible assistant referee who was flagging for extremely marginal offside calls when we looked threatening last week.

He was at it again today in the Fulham v Villa fixture. I recognised him by his actions before they showed his mug on screen. James Mainwaring (from Bury); a name to dread seeing on the match officials list if his hair-trigger flag raising isn’t appropriately addressed.

Christy Ring

17 Posted 25/04/2026 at 15:38:22

Sean, you mustn't have seen Brett Angel 😳 😳 😳

Dan Parker

18 Posted 25/04/2026 at 15:41:46

Poor so far, it’s almost like the lads know without Beto offering some resemblance of a threat up front, it’s a bust. Garner has been a bit quiet since his England call-up too.

Michael Kenrick

19 Posted 25/04/2026 at 15:51:37

I just don't get it when a defender kicks the ball away from an opponent... but that's given as a foul?

Hard to tell which side is threatened with relegation.

Alan J Thompson

20 Posted 25/04/2026 at 15:52:38

We've had our fair share of possession but nowhere near any idea. Too many players not getting into the game Gana and McNeil mostly while nobody seems sure of where Barry is or where he's going. We seem to be screaming out for the ball down the touchline for a cross for an old fashioned centre forward to attack. Just hope Moyes had some sort of game plan as it's difficult to see what it is and before that bloke Summerville tears us a new one.

Bill Fairfield

21 Posted 25/04/2026 at 15:52:46

Barry. Surely Moyes has seen enough by now.

Dave Abrahams

22 Posted 25/04/2026 at 15:55:32

Not a bad game to watch between the two penalty areas but not much happening when the ball goes there,

Bowen has not been in the gams as much as he usually is but still wary of him as he showed just before half time when no West Ham player read his pass across the six yard box.

It’s anyone’s game in the second half when, hopefully, our subs will turn the screw and get those three points for us.

John Collins

24 Posted 25/04/2026 at 16:00:05

What colour is the relegation threatened team playing in?

Jay Harris

25 Posted 25/04/2026 at 16:03:40

Players don’t seem to know what to do with the ball without Beto

Dan Parker

26 Posted 25/04/2026 at 16:10:22

Pathetic performance with an opportunity for Europe at stake

Sean Kearns

27 Posted 25/04/2026 at 16:12:12

Only goalie in the league who doesn’t come for crosses in the 6 yard box… costs us many goals. He went down with Sunderland, almost went down with us a few times, and no big teams have ever wanted him. I know he makes many great saves but he also keeps us under pressure. If he came for the ball and calmed the game down every now and then, maybe he would have less to do. Because we rely on players clearing the ball from crosses, the ball always gets recycled which keeps us under pressure… Also Moyes is being told to play Barry and Beto by the owners, in the hopes they score a couple and keep their values up. If we bench him then we wipe 10 million off his value. The game is a business now sadly… Moyes would have Alcaraz up top I am sure. Just like Cahill and Bowen before…. In reality though, our new owners came in after all the PSR struggle and were supposed to be a new dawn, but in reality they just paid 30 million quid for a player who is worth around 5-10 million and continued the awful business trend, nothing has changed. Moyes has got us to top half of the table IN SPITE of the new owners, not because of them. Any other manager with this embarrassing forward line would have struggled. Many managers around the league are blessed with good forward players and still can’t get results!! Moyes has got us flying with NO credible striker. 🫡

Andrew McLawrence

28 Posted 25/04/2026 at 16:13:26

We still have time to throw on our prolific goal machine... oh wait hang on.

Sean O'Hanlon

29 Posted 25/04/2026 at 16:17:48

Agree Sean @27. A complete coward in the 6 yard box.

Dan Parker

30 Posted 25/04/2026 at 16:30:39

Far too easy for West Ham, haven’t seen us play this badly for a while.

Neil Tyrrell

31 Posted 25/04/2026 at 16:44:42

How is that not a pen? Unbelievable

Dan Parker

32 Posted 25/04/2026 at 16:45:31

Does VAR not bother with Everton pen claims at all or what. Insane

Simon Dalzell

33 Posted 25/04/2026 at 16:46:40

Thats shocking. Deliberate Hand ball

Chris Leyland

34 Posted 25/04/2026 at 16:52:01

Can’t defend crosses. Absymal defending yet again

Derek Thomas

35 Posted 25/04/2026 at 16:53:36

Got to keep the WHam / Spurs thing going for a few more games.

We'll rock up and roll over for Spurs to celebrate avoiding the drop on the last day.

How shite must Chelsea be - they made us look good.

Moyes will be Moyes - said it on day one.

Sean Kearns

37 Posted 25/04/2026 at 17:01:57

3 points off 6th lad… Fuck off Mihir you Redshite troll 😂 get a life ya nerdy twat

Sean O'Hanlon

38 Posted 25/04/2026 at 17:02:13

Moyes = Mid-table mediocrity.

John Collins

39 Posted 25/04/2026 at 17:02:33

Cowardly tactics in a must win game.

Again.

Bottom half of the table with City to come next.

Colin Glassar

40 Posted 25/04/2026 at 17:03:58

Goodbye Europe. Hammer super fan, David Moyes, never had any intention of winning that game. His presser is evidence of his continuing love affair with WHU and his desire to see them beat the drop. He’s gifted them 4 points this season. Next season will be more of the same with Dour Dave and his cowardly tactics.