Everton are back in the Capital this weekend, the scene of their only away win of the Premier League campaign so far, as they take on David Moyes’s West Ham at the London Stadium.
The Blues put on a terrible display and lost 2-0 in this match, which served as the tipping point for Farhad Moshiri and the Everton Board regarding Frank Lampard’s tenure. Given Moyes’s previous ties to Everton and the late Chairman Bill Kenwright, who passed away earlier this week, it is especially poignant.
Sean Dyche, the new manager of the Blues, will be looking for a far better result in his first encounter with the Hammers as he replaces Lampard. He mentioned that the team was motivated in training this week after the disappointment of the Anfield derby last Saturday.
Everton yet again found themselves on the wrong end of refereeing controversy in the all-Merseyside affair when Craig Pawson failed to show a second yellow card to Ibrahima Konaté for his foul on Beto.
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That would have evened the numbers up at 10 each following Ashley Young’s dismissal late in the first half but Liverpool kept their full complement on the pitch and eventually ran out 2-0 winners.
“Clearly, the match from last weekend… I think it’s fair to say was affected by a decision,” Dyche said in his press conference at Finch Farm today.
“I think we all know that so that’s slightly an anomaly, especially in such an important game.
I have to say that this week has seen [the players] perform really well. After the decision went against them last week, they felt a little bit resentful, and I believe they handled it appropriately this week. I am excited for the game because I have had a great training week.”
Young’s red card means that he will serve a suspension this weekend, which gives Nathan Patterson the opportunity to take over at right-back, if not permanently, then at least until Seamus Coleman returns. (The skipper has continued to train with the first team this week but is still not yet match fit.)
The youthful Scot has only appeared in four of the Toffees’ nine League games thus far, and those were mostly when Young filled in for Vitalii Mykolenko on the opposing side of defense. However, on Sunday, Young is anticipated to start, either in his natural position or on the right side of a five-man back line.
Dyche is unlikely to make many more changes after being pleased with Amadou Onana’s previous two performances. James Garner and the Belgian midfielder may continue to play together at the London Stadium.
Moyes, meanwhile, will likely restore the bulk of the contingent that he withheld from the starting XI in Greece on Thursday evening in the Europa League. The Scot took the opportunity afforded by the Hammers’ two wins to open the group stage of that competition to make seven changes to the team that was walloped by Aston Villa last weekend.
That should see the likes of Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen, Kurt Zouma, Vladimir Coufal and Nayef Aguerd come back into their line-up as they look for their first League win for a month.
West Ham started the season strong, winning three of their first four games. However, they lost their next two games—a 4-1 loss at Villa Park and a draw at home against Newcastle—and then suffered defeats at home against Manchester City and Liverpool. In between, they had a routine victory at home against Sheffield United.
Although they are still a dangerous team, Everton may be able to take advantage of their weaknesses if they can maintain the level of play they displayed against Bournemouth on October 7 and at the Gtech Community Stadium one month prior.
On Sunday, October 29, 2023, at 1:00 p.m.
Referee: Stuart Attwell
VAR: Simon Hooper
Last time out: Everton 0 – 2 West Ham United
Pickford, Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Onana, Garner, Harrison, McNeil, Doucouré, and Calvert-Lewin are the expected starting lineup.
