West Ham United women’s team v Everton
Barclays Women's Super League, Chigwell Construction Stadium, Sunday 26 January 2025, 3pm GMT
It is another quick turnaround for West Ham United women's team as we gear up for another home Barclays Women's Super League fixture, this time welcoming Everton to Chigwell Construction Stadium on Sunday.
The Irons head into the game full of confidence after dispatching of London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Subway® Women’s League Cup quarter-finals just days ago, and will hope to take that momentum into their league campaign.
Dagenham has been a tough place for teams to come this term, with only Arsenal and Chelsea leaving east London with victories in all competitions, and Sunday's fixture presents an opportunity for the women's team to kick start their WSL journey in 2025.
While she was not in Rehanne Skinner's matchday squad on Wednesday night, having not long sealed her move to Chadwell Heath, new signing Verena Hanshaw could make her West Ham debut against Everton, and provides further depth at the back for the Hammers boss.
The Toffees are unbeaten against the Hammers in the last four meetings between the two, but with only a place and two points separating the teams ahead of kick-off, the stage is set for another eye-catching encounter at Chigwell Construction Stadium.
Here is everything you need to know about our home battle against Everton...
Tickets...
Make sure to get your ticket for the women’s team’s clash with Everton, HERE! Tickets can also be bought from the Ticket Office at Chigwell Construction Stadium (subject to availability) from 1pm until kick-off on matchday. Please note, Chigwell Construction Stadium has now gone cashless.
How To Follow…
The WSL continues to be more accessible to supporters from across the globe than ever before during 2024/25, with coverage of the league moving from The FA Player to YouTube!
Matches not picked for broadcast will be shown live on the online video sharing platform, which can be viewed worldwide, excluding Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.
Tune in from 2.55pm to watch all of the action from the Chigwell Construction Stadium!
Alternatively, you can also keep up-to-date across our social media channels, while highlights and exclusive reaction will follow after the final whistle on whufc.com.
Travel…
The most convenient way to reach Chigwell Construction Stadium is by public transport.
Dagenham East station on the London Underground's District line is situated about 500 metres from the ground. On exiting the station, turn left, and the ground is in Victoria Road, which is the fifth turning on the left-hand side after about 400 metres. You will see the stadium at the end of the cul-de-sac.
For those travelling by bus, fans can take the 103 from either Romford railway station, which is served by Greater Anglia, TfL's Elizabeth line, and London Overground, or Rainham station, which is served by c2c rail services. The 103 has stops on both sides of Rainham Road South, just north of Victoria Road.
Supporters using public transport are advised to check their journeys before they travel, using resources such as TfL’s Journey Planner and the TfL Go app. Supporters may also wish to visit the National Rail website if travelling on the rail network.
No parking is available at Chigwell Construction Stadium. Street parking in the local area is available, but motorists should take note of restrictions.
Opposition…
This is Brian Sørensen’s second full season in charge of Everton, having taken over the reins of the Merseyside outfit in April 2022.
His appointment at the Toffees marked his first job in England’s top flight, having previously spent his managing career in his home country, Denmark, coaching FC Nordsjælland, IK Skovbakken, and, most notably, Fortuna Hjørring, where he stayed for seven years across two spells at the club.
Also during his time at Fortuna Hjørring, Sørensen guided the Danish side to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League in 2016, having lifted his first Danish Championship two years prior.
Sørensen and Everton have not rested on their laurels this January, having recruited five new players at the time of writing: Kelly Gago (striker), Martina Fernandez (defender), Emma Watson (midfielder), Hayley Ladd (midfielder) and Louna Ribadeira (forward).
Arguably the most eye-catching of the five is the addition of Wales international Ladd, who joined after spending six-and-a-half seasons at Manchester United, providing experience and versatility to the Toffees’ backline.
There will be a return to Dagenham for a familiar face on Sunday, with midfielder Honoka Hayashi facing her former side for the first time since she departed West Ham in the summer. The Japan international might have spent only two seasons in Claret and Blue, but chalked up 50 appearances for West Ham, as she maintained her role of an ever-present figure in midfield.
Prior to her stint at the Irons, Hayashi played for Swedish Damallsvenskan side AIK Fotboll. The 26-year-old netted what proved to be Everton’s winning goal in their 2-1 victory at home to Manchester City before the Christmas break, firing a low, right-footed strike beyond the dive of Khiara Keeting before half-time.
From an Everton Academy player to club captain, one-club player Megan Finnigan has established herself as an important leader at the Toffees. The 26-year-old made her debut for the Merseyside outfit ten years ago and has gone onto make 164 appearances for them.
A former England U21 international, who has also represented her country at U17, U19 and U20 level, Finnigan has played every minute in the WSL for Everton this term - impressing in the air and proving a vital part of Sørensen’s backline.
And although she will have wanted to net more than one goal in the WSL this term, Katja Snoeijs has been a goalscorer for every team she has played for.
The 28-year-old joined Everton in 2022 from Bordeaux, for whom she enjoyed a scoring record of 24 goals in 47 games for. But she really thrived in front of goal at PSV Eindhoven, bagging 33 goals in almost as many games for the Dutch outfit between 2018 and 2020. And across three seasons at AZ Alkmaar, the Netherlands international found the back of the net on 53 occasions.
Previous Meetings…
The head-to-head record between the two teams is relatively even, with Everton winning five of the eleven meetings and the Hammers victorious in three.
One of the three draws came at Walton Hall Park in October when Anouk Denton opened her 2024/25 account with a stunning strike that was unfortunately cancelled out by a Camila Sáez own-goal in the second half.
West Ham last beat Everton in Dagenham at the start of the 2022/23 campaign, with Lisa Evans' goal on the stroke of half-time securing a 1-0 victory for the home side.
