Saha the spark, says Moyes

Everton manager David Moyes credited Louis Saha for lifting the side to a 2-2 draw late on against 10-man West Ham at Goodison Park.

Moyes’ Everton trailed twice throughout the 90 minutes and looked destined for defeat when Frederic Piquionne put the visitors ahead 2-1 with six minutes remaining.

But Piquionne’s exuberant celebration earned him a red card and Marouane Fellaini pounced in injury time to score the winner.

Moyes said all credit should go to the influence of Saha when he came onto the pitch in the second half.

“We didn’t start too badly but we never really made enough opportunities or chances. We threatened to play well and on the break, West Ham were always a threat and could always conjure up a move which could get themselves a goal and they did,” Moyes told Sky Sports.

“Saha made a big difference when he came on. It sort of linked us up a bit better after we had struggled in the first half.”

“When they went down to 10 men it really gave us an opportunity to try and push more people forward and see if we can create.”

“I thought when Fellaini went forward late in the second half, we looked a much bigger threat and he got his rewards as he got his goal.”

Hammers manager Avram Grant defended his striker Piquionne for celebrating with the away faithful after seemingly netting the winner for the English Premier League cellar-dwellers, calling for the rules of the game to be changed to allow excessive celebrating.

“The red card was a joke,” Grant said.

“He scored a goal and went to celebrate with the supporters.”

“He has not done anything wrong – he went to celebrate with the people who deserve to more than anybody.”

“I know it is the law but it is a stupid law and we need to change it.”

“You never know but I think if we had stayed with 11 players we would have won the game because we were the better team.”

“They didn’t create chances but when we were a man short it was a little difficult.”