Everton and West Ham both needed a big win to get back on track in the Premier League after a questionable few weeks, especially after the international break. Both sides should be striving for an outside bid at finishing in the top six, but only West Ham have really been able to live up to that so far. The Toffees, on the other hand, were fairly desperate for a big performance – and they got it.
Bernard scored within 20 minutes of the kick-off and from that point on, Everton didn’t let their foot off the neck of the Hammers. There were a few questionable moments that made fans wonder what the entire point of something like VAR actually is, but an injury time cracker from Gylfi Sigurdsson ensured that the Goodison Park faithful would go home with smiles on their faces.
Everton manager Marco Silva had the following to say in the wake of his side’s performance.
“Pressure has to be a pleasure, a privilege for us,” he said. “We are doing what we love. Express yourselves on the pitch is what I say – and we did.
“When you are not in a very good moment, the pressure is there to win more games. We were not good enough in last results.”
“The crowd was really good. I asked them to support our players from the first moment and they did. I know what I’m doing. I have full confidence in the staff and full confidence in my players as well. Of course, it’s better when you win games, but I was always calm.
“I wasn’t nervous. This afternoon we created so many chances. The game was always under control.”
Everton now face a winnable game away at Brighton & Hove Albion before hosting Watford in the Carabao Cup, which could take them through to the quarter-finals of the competition. The Hammers will be looking at their next two games as massive opportunities to get back on the winning trail as they host Sheffield United and Newcastle United at London Stadium.
Whether or not this is just a blip in the road for Pellegrini’s men remains to be seen.
Match Report
Everton: Pickford (7.5), Digne (8), Mina (7.5), Keane (8), Sidibe (7.5), Davies (7), Gomes (7), Bernard (8), Iwobi (7), Walcott (8), Richarlison (7.5), Holgate (6), Kean (6), Sigurdsson (7.5)
West Ham: Jimenez (8), Fredericks (6), Diop (6.5), Ogbonna (7), Masuaku (6.5), Rice (6.5), Fornals (6), Noble (6), Lanzini (7), Anderson (6.5), Haller (6.5), Wilshere (6), Yarmolenko (6), Ajeti (6)
Referee: Paul Tierney
Goals: Bernard, Sigurdsson
Yellow Cards: Gomes, Davies, Diop, Rice
Red Cards: N/A
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