West Ham United aims for a Top 7 finish to secure European qualification next season. An 8th place finish may also suffice, depending on FA Cup outcomes.
Key points
West Ham United aims for a Top 7 finish
An 8th place finish may suffice for European qualification
FA Cup outcomes could influence qualification
Everton seeks to recover from a recent derby disappointment
After the disappointment of the Merseyside derby, Everton must get back on the horse in their quest to secure European qualification.
What we know for sure is a Top 7 finish will secure a continental adventure for next term, though 8th could be enough, depending on who wins the FA Cup.
It’s another trip to London up next, with David Moyes’s former club West Ham waiting for the Toffees at London Stadium.
Here’s a quick rundown of Saturday’s opposition…
Last Time Out
The Hammers and Crystal Palace played out a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park on Monday, with that stalemate taking Nuno Espirito Santo’s team 2 points clear of Tottenham, whose draw with Brighton condemned them to 18th place by the close of the weekend.
A point on the road at Palace is nothing to scoff at but, in West Ham’s situation, with all their relegation rivals having played before them — and two of them winning to edge further clear — there is a case to be made that it was a big opportunity missed.
Palace seemed to have something of a hangover following their Conference League exploits last week, and their midfield metronome Adam Wharton was absent, but West Ham showed a distinct lack of quality, albeit did have one excellent save to make.
Q&A
What position does West Ham United need to finish for European qualification?
West Ham United needs to finish in the Top 7 to secure European qualification for next season.
Can West Ham qualify for Europe with an 8th place finish?
Yes, an 8th place finish could be enough for European qualification depending on the FA Cup winner.
What is the significance of the FA Cup for West Ham's European hopes?
The FA Cup winner can affect whether an 8th place finish is sufficient for European qualification.
How did Everton's recent performance impact their European qualification quest?
Everton's disappointment in the Merseyside derby has intensified their need to secure a Top 7 finish for European qualification.
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If the Hammers are to stay up, they’ll have to grind it out... but, with Spurs taking on already relegated Wolves, the pressure is definitely going to be on Nuno’s men.
West Ham's Form
West Ham’s last six league games have resulted in two wins, two draws and two defeats, for a total of 8 points:
Jarrod Bowen is clearly West Ham’s best player. A classic Moyes signing, plucked from the EFL, Bowen has become a full-fledged England international and has scored 84 goals and provided 55 assists in 275 games in all competitions for the Hammers. That goal tally of course includes his winner in the 2022-23 Conference League Final.
Yet Bowen, who scored in the reverse fixture at Hill Dickinson Stadium in September, is not the only player Everton have to keep a keen eye on, and the Toffees will have to be alert to the threat of Crysencio Summerville.
Summerville has been crucial to the Hammers’ resurgence, scoring seven goals in all competitions since the turn of the year, and the former Leeds United winger definitely has the pace to be a danger on either flank. Indeed, he got the better of Jake O’Brien a fair bit in Everton’s last meeting with West Ham.
What can Everton Target?
El Hadji Malick Diouf is a fine left-back, but he is certainly better going forward than he is defensively.
While Moyes seems likely to stick with Dwight McNeil starting wide right, a bit of bravery — or a proactive change — could actually open up a real gap for Everton to exploit.
Perhaps this is the game to give Tyrique George a start on the left, and move Iliman Ndiaye out to the right to really run at his Senegal team-mate?
Or, try George out on the right side.
If McNeil is to start, then he will need to be more switched on defensively than he has been in the last couple of games, but he also really needs to show some quality in the final third, cutting in on that left foot. Diouf is sure to leave some space.
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We're rolling out a new feature that we hope will become a regular item before each match, where Patric takes a closer look at the opposition and how they may shape up in the next encounter.
This is not our Match Preview per se – for this Hammers game, that is still in the works and will appear later. But this is meant to be a more in-depth consideration of the opposition we face, which is not something we've really done before on ToffeeWeb, so please provide your thoughts, as usual.
I've added as the photo for this piece, a shot of the London Stadium. If anyone is triggered by this, I deeply apologise in advance.
