Everton at West Ham: Match Preview | A tale of two strugglers

Everton head to West Ham on Saturday for a match where defeat could spell trouble for their respective managers.

There were several reports this week that Hammers boss Julen Lopetegui will have his position reviewed if they lose to the Toffees. Sean Dyche’s position does not appear to be under as immediate a threat, but some members of a frustrated fanbase would start to lose patience if they come away from the game empty handed..

Last weekend’s defeat at Southampton was dire as it was predicable. A team without a win and clean sheet this season, and a player with out goal – here comes Everton!

They were unlucky at key moments, but they should not be in a position where they have to rely on luck against a side that had not won a league game all season.

It was another huge chance to lift themselves up the table and open up a gap on the bottom three squandered. That horrible run of games in December is creeping up and Everton have not yet built up a significant enough buffer to avoid an uncomfortable festive period.

A win at the London Stadium would allow everyone to breathe a bit easier before yet another international break. Though the last time an ailing Everton manager needed a result in east London in January 2022 the Hammers comfortably win 2-0 to condemn Frank Lampard to the sack.

Will history repeat itself?

The opposition

Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images

Evertonians can probably relate to what West Ham are going through at present – and it is not just the link with David Moyes.

After dispatching Moyes because of a desire to play more attractive style the Hammers recruited Lopetegui and went on a lavish spending spree, bringing in the likes of Max Kilman, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo Niclas Fullkrug and Crysencio Summerville.

But like Everton in that notorious summer of 2017 those signings have yet to gel and bring consistent results. Lopetegui’s side sit just two points ahead of Everton after losing five of their opening 10 games, though four of those were against Aston Villa, Man City, Chelsea and Tottenham. But the manner of the fifth defeat – 3-0 at Nottingham Forest last time out – has got the club’s hierarchy twitchy.

It all adds up to what feels like a pivotal game that could have huge implications for either side (unless it is a draw).

Previous meeting

Everton 1-3 West Ham, 2 March 2024

Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images

Another missed opportunity for Everton to climb the table. Beto’s opener was cancelled out by former Toffee Kurt Zouma, before stoppage-time goals from Tomas Soucek and Edson Alvarez wrapped up the win for the Toffees. It also produced one of my favourite ever Everton images (for all the wrong reasons).

Team news

Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images

Iliman Ndiaye and Abdoulaye Doucoure will be assessed after resuming following knocks. But Seamus Coleman is once again out after picking up a hamstring injury.

Armando Broja is back in light training but a while away from a return. James Garner (back), Tim Iroegbunam and Youssef Chermiti (foot) are also still sidelined.

Jarrad Branthwaite is fit and once again pushing for a recall to the starting line up (hint hint).

What they said

Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images

Everton boss Sean Dyche: “There’s been injuries to very important players at very important times, along with the cutting edge at both ends. I’ve spoken about it endlessly. We’ve created so many chances in games and not taken them.

“We’ve conceded – like we did last week – from a nothing situation, or what should’ve been a nothing situation after creating enough chances to score a goal. We doubled their xG, doubled their chances and all the rest of it.

“They’re the deciding factors of what decides a run – and the consistency of that. Scoring regularly and not conceding regularly is a good mixture, obviously. And we haven’t found that true consistency.”

West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui: “In my opinion, I think they [Everton] keep getting better and better, and I think they’ve improved on last year.

They have a coach who knows the Premier League very well, he has lots of experience and he’s helping them develop all the time.

They have a very balanced and complex team, and we know they’re going to be hard to beat. At the same time, we believe in ourselves as always, and we’ll do what we can to get the right result.

Final word

West Ham-Everton fixtures are so tough to call. In five of the last seven seasons it has been one win apiece, so I can see all three results on Saturday. A win though could be priceless given the challenges that lie ahead.