Everton 1-0 West Ham
by James Nalton
at Goodison

EVERTON claimed their first win of the season against West Ham on Sunday thanks to Neal Maupay’s first goal for the club.

It was a much-needed three points for manager Frank Lampard, whose Everton side had been promising at the start of the season and made some useful moves in the transfer market but, prior to this game, had not converted this into a win.

The winning goal was a brilliantly executed finish from one of those summer signings, Maupay, who received a pass from the impressive Alex Iwobi before setting himself up with an ideal first touch to fire a shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

“The first touch is always the key,” Maupay told Sky Sports after the game. “If you get a good first touch, it makes the finish easier.”

It wasn’t a big chance, but he turned it into a good one with that touch, which lifted the ball up slightly, allowing for a clean strike when combined with an instinctive turn.

The French striker, who arrived from Brighton & Hove Albion towards the end of the transfer window, caused West Ham problems throughout the game, initially with some high pressing as the visitors tried to play the ball out from the back.

Maupay may not offer the size and presence of Everton’s other centre-forwards, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Salomon Rondon, but he brings a different kind of physicality that includes a quickness when closing down the opposition.

An early chance fell to Everton via this route. Maupay won possession after some poor passing between Kurt Zouma and Tomas Soucek under pressure, and played a ball through to Iwobi. The midfielder's touch let him down, though, and the ball eventually rolled harmlessly out of play.

Maupay could have had another and was inches away from connecting with a Demarai Gray cross 10 minutes after he had given Everton the lead in the second half.

In fact there were a few decent opportunities in attack, but Everton were unable to turn them into shots on goal.

On another day they might have paid the price for not being more clinical.

West Ham substitute Said Benrahma almost found an equaliser, but his shot hit the inside of the post and bounced clear — luckily for Everton goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, who could only stand and watch.

Begovic, in for the injured Jordan Pickford, did spring into action to stop a Maxwel Cornet shot at the near post as West Ham continued their search for a goal. 

Cornet thought he was in again shortly after, with only Begovic to beat, but Nathan Patterson got a touch on the ball just as the Ivorian was about to shoot. It was a vital intervention from the right-back, who has impressed for the Toffees this season.

Also impressive was Idrissa Gana Gueye at the base of the Everton midfield. He provides a reassuring and technically sound presence in front of the defence, getting his team out of trouble with quick, precise passing, as well as defensive interventions. The Senegalese finished the game with a pass success of 90 per cent.

“He'll get even better,” Lampard said of Gueye. “Having played outside the Premier League for a few years in a different pace of league, it’s not easy in that sense.

“But he played really well. He has quality on the ball, is calm on the ball, has positional awareness and an ability to win the ball back. 

“With some young players in the team, having the balance of idrissa is a big thing for us.”

This first win moves Everton up to 13th in the table and they can now go into the international break with something to build upon when league matches return in October.