West Ham 2-1 Everton: Jared Bowen returns with a hammer pile

West Ham returned to fifth place in the Premier League with a 2-1 win over relegation-threatened Everton at the London Stadium. Super Sunday.

Jared Bowen returns to the team after a leg injury (58) after a four-game absence so that the Hammers are firmly in search of a Champions League qualifier.

Aaron Creswell led the home side with a great free-kick (32) before Mason Holgate – who was selected late in the warm-up after Donny Van de Beck’s injury – equalized for Everton eight minutes after half time.

Bowen’s response was immediate, and the number of spectators was reduced to 10 when Michael Keane was sent off for a second bookable offense (65) to bring down Antonio – the third red card in Everton’s last three games.

The result means Frank Lampard’s side are dangerously close to the relegation zone – three games in two games over 18th-placed Watford but just four points above Burnley, where both teams will face each other on Wednesday, live on. Sky Sports.

Concentration and discipline Desert Everton

Lampard called on his Everton players to develop better resilience to improve on England’s worst away record in the top four. Just six points out of a possible 42 on the road is the poorest return from 92 clubs, including the Premier League and the EFL.

In fact, as the National League descended north and south, only one team – the National League Dover – performed worse from home. Lampard blamed the weak response to the adversity for such horrific statistics, and as West Ham they again rose against those who started the bright side on both sides.

Pablo Fernandez, returning to the West Ham squad, missed a presentable opportunity that was blocked five minutes later by Ryan Fredericks’ low cross.

Kevin was again in the right place to thwart a racing drive from Michael Antonio but Everton were indebted to Jordan Pickford for hitting Fernandez’s leg shortly after the Spaniard was picked by Saeed Benrahma.

Lampard was encouraged by Dominic Calvert-Levin’s return to the starting line-up – and Everton picked up their first decent chance in the 29th minute. Demarai joins Alex Eoby in midfield to feed Gray Richardson but after being knocked out by Brazilian Lukasz Fabianski, Fredericks created a crucial recovery challenge.

This would prove to be a turning point because after a while, West Ham was in front. Bowen was turned down by Holgate and from 25 yards out, Cresswell’s delicious free-kick surpassed the frustrated Pickford.

It was another West Ham set-piece goal and Everton’s goal was made even more painful by a goal scored by a childhood Liverpool supporter as Creswell celebrated in front of traveling fans.

Richardson continues to carry Everton’s biggest threat and should have been flattened when he pushed Pickford’s long ball with half five minutes left on Fredericks’ mistake, but his effort flashed over the bar through the outside of his right boot.

West Ham deservedly took the lead at the break and could have been further ahead in the interval stroke when Benrahma played through Antonio, who scored for Pickford but could only run his shot into side-netting from an acute angle.

Everton are re-energized for a restart and a declension when Dicklan Rice is removed and feeding EOB Calvert-Levin can bring parity but the striker flips the crossbar to a post near Fabianski.

David Moyes wears a worried look, and his frustration is exacerbated when West Ham fails to clear a corner and finds a deflection in the bottom corner of Holgate’s Half Volley Furnals.

Lampard sensed a change but a concentration error by EOB allowed West Ham to regain their advantage five minutes later. The Nigerian failed to collect Kane’s pass and immediately after the Fernalos scored Antonio’s goal, Pickford could have aimed his shot straight at Bowen.

Seven minutes later, things became more difficult for Lampard as Kin – already booked for a foul in Antonio’s first half – jumped on the same player and referee Michael Oliver had no choice but to dismiss the Everton captain.

Creswell turned the impending free-kick wide, and Godfrey later denied Antonio the goal he deserved for his performance with a great last-ditch tackle. Lampard was staring at the sky as Godfrey left at stoppage time.

West Ham weren’t their best, but they often failed to collect points in the second half of the season – especially at home.

Their battle for fourth place continues under Moyes, a manager who once achieved such a glorious feat at Everton in 2005. For the blue half of Merseyside how long ago it felt now.

What next?

Wednesday 6 April at 7:00 pm


Kick off 7:30 pm

West Ham welcomed Lyon in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday 7 April; Kick-off at 8 p.m.

Everton Premier League voyage to Burnley Wednesday, April 6 live Sky Sports; Kick-off 7.30pm.