1. Areola saves the day
Alphonse Areola and the word ‘heroics’ have been in the same sentence a fair few times this season – and they were again following Saturday’s win at Everton.
The France international goalkeeper has now made 103 saves in his 24 Premier League appearances this term – a tally bettered only by Sheffield United stopper Wes Foderingham’s 108, who has played 26 times.
Areola was simply outstanding at Goodison Park, making nine stops, including a vital save to keep out Beto’s penalty with the game still goalless just before half-time.
The same player did beat Areola with an accurate header early in the second half but, from then on, the 29-year-old was unbeatable, using his incredible spring and reflexes to keep out efforts from Beto, Dwight McNeil, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and André Gomes.
Astonishing Alphonse Areola 👏
— West Ham United (@WestHam) March 3, 2024
An unbelievable performance from our French stopper 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/9THfItWr9z
2. Another away win
West Ham United’s victory at Everton made it six away wins in the Premier League this term.
The Irons are now up to 20 points collected from games on their top-flight travels in 2023/24, having amassed just three wins and 12 points from their 19 away matches in all of last season.
When West Ham qualified for Europe by finishing sixth in 2020/21, David Moyes’ men won nine away matches and collected 31 points on the road, while they tallied 24 points on their way to finishing seventh in 2021/22.
With trips to Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Manchester City still to come, reaching 31 again will be a tough ask, but eclipsing 24 is certainly a target worth aiming for.
3. Big Tom’s hat-trick
“To score again and complete a hat-trick would be perfect, but it will be a tough game.”
Having scored a Premier League winner at Goodison Park on New Year’s Day 2021, then played in another 1-0 win at Everton later the same year, Tomáš Souček completed that hat-trick with a sensational late goal in Saturday’s win.
Super Tom fires home another last-minute winner ⚒️
— West Ham United (@WestHam) March 2, 2024
Clutch. pic.twitter.com/OuAZUCHMBG
The Czech followed up a superb performance in Monday’s 4-2 victory at home to Brentford with another all-action display on Merseyside.
Souček, who celebrated his 29th birthday on Tuesday, controlled Mohammed Kudus’s cross on his chest before curling an unstoppable strike past Jordan Pickford with the outside of his right foot.
The midfielder tore off his shirt in celebration and later said the goal was among of the best of his career. It is hard to believe he has scored a better one.
4. Excellent Eddie
Edson Álvarez produced arguably the best all-round performance of his West Ham United career in Saturday’s win at Everton.
The Mexican covered every blade of grass at Goodison Park, filling up the stat lines with five tackles, five interceptions and three shots blocked – all team highs.
The second of those blocks, to deny James Garner, came just seconds before the Irons scored what turned out to be the winning goal through Tomáš Souček.
Álvarez then capped an outstanding individual display by racing the length of the pitch five minutes into added-time to clip Jarrod Bowen’s pass over Jordan Pickford and confirm West Ham’s win.
The No19 earned deserved praise from manager David Moyes for his performance, and will hope to hit the same heights again when the Hammers return to UEFA Europa League action at SC Freiburg on Thursday evening.
