Everton v West Ham United
Premier League, Goodison Park, Saturday 2 March 2024, 3pm GMT
Following their first win in six Premier League outings, West Ham United travel to Everton looking to start a winning run.
David Moyes’ Hammers go into the contest off the back of a 4-2 victory over Brentford on Monday, a result that moved us up to eighth in the table.
The Irons will be looking to turn the tables on the Toffees, having fallen 1-0 in the reverse fixture at London Stadium in October, where Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s solitary strike earned victory, while the home side themselves are in need of points to pull away from the relegation zone.
Everton battled to a hard-fought draw against Brighton & Hove Albion last time out, and are currently on a six-game winless run, not triumphing in a league game since December. The Toffees are now sat 15th in the table after their punishment for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules was reduced to six points earlier this week.
After losing seven of his first twelve matches as manager at Everton, Sean Dyche has slowly steadied the ship and will hope to steer them to safety once more. He kept Burnley in the Premier League for almost a decade and will be looking to replicate that at the Merseyside club.
David Moyes, meanwhile, returns to Goodison Park hoping to take three points off his former employers and will be quietly confident in doing so after earning some impressive results since taking the Hammers to the club he managed between 2002-2013.
Tickets…
West Ham fans are advised that the Club’s allocation of 2,976 tickets have sold out.
The first 90 per cent of our allocation of 2,976 tickets sold out to Bondholders and Season Ticket Holders with 30+ Loyalty Points. The remaining ten per cent (297 tickets) were then made available via a ballot process to Season Ticket Holders who had yet to purchase for this fixture. The ballot closed at 12pm on Wednesday 7 February.
Travel…
Travel to Liverpool is a pretty straightforward opposition. If you are taking the train up from London on the Saturday, direct services leave Euston at 07.43, 08.43 and 09.43, which should get you to the ground in time for kick-off!
Liverpool Lime Street station is situated 2.5 miles from Goodison Park, but is well served by public transport, with a number of different options that can take you to the stadium. Take one of the many bus services which leave Queen Square Bus Station, including the 19, 20 and 21.
Alternately, from Liverpool Lime Street, you can take a taxi from the rank at the station (£7-£9).
After the match, trains depart at .43 past the hour and take two hours and 40 minutes to get back to London.
For those who wish to drive, Goodison Park, Liverpool, L4 4EL is the address for your sat nav. Parking is available near the stadium, with the Stanley Park Car Park situated half-a-mile away along Priory Road at the junction with Utting Avenue. Prices are displayed upon entry, but supporters are advised to get there early to avoid disappointment!
Accessible parking is available. Please email [email protected] for details.
How To Follow…
Saturday’s 3pm kick-off will NOT be broadcast live in the UK, but will be shown across the world by the Premier League’s international broadcast partners.
If you live outside the UK, click here for details of Premier League listings in your territory.
You can follow the action via our live blog on whufc.com and our app, and across our social media channels. We will also have highlights and exclusive reaction for you after the final whistle on our website and social media.
Live audio commentary will be available in the UK on BBC Radio London, and worldwide on our official website and app.
Team News...
Kalvin Phillips will be available for the Hammers after completing a one-match suspension. The midfielder missed Monday’s win over Brentford after collecting two yellow cards at Nottingham Forest.
David Moyes could have a fully fit squad to choose from for the first time this calendar year, following the recent returns from injury of Michail Antonio and Lucas Paquetá.
Everton, meanwhile, will be without Dele Alli, Arnaut Danjuma and André Gomes, who all remain absent due to injury.
Lewis Dobbin missed out their recent draw at Brighton with an ankle injury, while Idrissa Gueye could be available for selection after being forced off just after half-time last weekend.
Opposition...
Achieving consistent top-half finishes in the Premier League is severely difficult, just ask Everton.
In 2018, Everton were in the UEFA Europa League group stages with Atalanta, Lyon, and Apollon Limassol, now they find themselves embroiled in a relegation battle for the third campaign in succession.
Currently just five points off the Premier League drop zone, with four draws and two defeats from their previous six games, Everton’s position could become a precarious one if they don’t start winning again soon.
David Moyes faces his former employers on Saturday, returning to a club he took to the top four and the FA Cup final during his time at the Toffees.
However, a lot of has changed since Moyes’ departure in 2013.
Academy of Football graduate Frank Lampard was removed from his post as boss in late January last year after a 2-0 defeat against the Hammers at London Stadium left them second bottom of the table. Dyche was appointed in January 2023, and they battled their way to Premier League survival with a final day win over Bournemouth.
Now the challenge is to build on survival, although Everton haven’t won a league game since a 2-0 victory over Burnley on 16 December last year.
They have fallen to defeat against Luton Town and Manchester City, while drawing with Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, and Brighton in their last six games. Still, a point against Brighton at the Amex Stadium last time out shows that Dyche’s side are a potentially dangerous customer and should not be written off.
Previous meetings...
Saturday’s contest marks the 151st competitive meeting between West Ham and Everton, and the 56th in the Premier League, making them one of the Irons' most faced opponents in all competitions.
History is indeed on Everton’s side, with the Blues winning the majority of fixtures.
However, recent history does favour West Ham. The teams split the victories last term, while the Hammers secured a league double over Everton two years ago, with Angelo Ogbonna on the scoresheet in January 2021, while Aaron Cresswell’s free-kick and Jarrod Bowen’s effort secured all three points in the match at London Stadium in the return fixture.
Despite the last three meetings on Merseyside being settled by a single strike, goals have been a common feature in this fixture. Everton put six past Shaka Hislop in 1999, while the Hammers edged a five-goal thriller in 2016 under Slaven Bilić.
Match Officials…
Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistant Referees: Marc Perry and Steve Meredith
Fourth Official: Steve Martin
VAR: Tony Harrington
Assistant VAR: Gary Beswick
Craig Pawson has been confirmed as the referee for Saturday’s Premier League match away at Everton.
One of the country’s most experienced officials, Pawson has been a part of the Select Group of Referees since 2013 and has officiated 12 Premier League games so far this campaign, most recently West Ham’s disappointing home defeat at the hands of Arsenal on 11 February.
While that is the only time Pawson has taken charge of an Irons match in the league this season, he served as fourth official for the game against Chelsea in August, and against Luton Town and Liverpool in September.
He was also the Video Assistant Referee when David Moyes’ men beat Burnley and Arsenal away from home, in November and December respectively. As referee, Pawson has handed out 56 yellow cards this term, as well as three red cards.
Most of his appointments in 2023/24 so far have come in the Premier League, but the 44-year-old - who is on the FIFA International Referees List - has also taken charge of games in the EFL Cup, FA Cup, EFL Championship, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Europa Conference League, and UEFA Champions League qualifying.
