West Ham 2 – 1 Everton

West Ham moved back up to fifth in the Premier League after overcoming relegation-threatened Everton 2-1 at the London Stadium on Super Sunday.

Jarrod Bowen struck on his return to the side after a four-game absence with a foot injury (58) to ensure the Hammers remain firmly in the hunt for Champions League qualification.

Aaron Cresswell had given the home side the lead with a brilliant free-kick (32) before Mason Holgate – who was a late selection after Donny van de Beek suffered an injury in the warm-up – equalised for Everton eight minutes after half time.

Bowen’s response was immediate, and the visitors were reduced to 10 men when Michael Keane was sent off for a second bookable offence (65) in bringing down Antonio – a third red card in Everton’s last three games.

The result means Frank Lampard’s side remain perilously close to the relegation zone – three points above 18th-placed Watford with two games in hand but only four points above Burnley, with the two sides facing each other next on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports.

Concentration and discipline desert Everton

Lampard called for his Everton players to develop better resilience to improve the worst away record in England’s top four divisions. Just six points from a possible 42 on the road is the poorest return from the 92 clubs comprising the Premier League and EFL.

In fact, dropping all the way down to National League North and South, only one side – National League Dover – have performed worse away from home. Lampard blamed a poor reaction to adversity for such an appalling statistic, and they were up against it again as West Ham who started the brighter of the two sides.

Pablo Fornals, on his return to the West Ham side, scuffed a presentable opportunity that was blocked by Keane from Ryan Fredericks’ low cross after five minutes.

Keane was in the right place again to thwart a rasping drive from Michail Antonio but Everton were indebted to Jordan Pickford to smother at the feet of Fornals moments later after the Spaniard was picked out by Said Benrahma.

Lampard was boosted by the return to the starting line-up of Dominic Calvert-Lewin – and Everton carved open their first decent chance on 29 minutes. Demarai Gray combined with Alex Iwobi in midfield to feed Richarlison but after the Brazilian had nipped around Lukasz Fabianski, Fredericks produced a vital recovery challenge.

It would prove a turning point as moments later, West Ham were in front. Bowen was upended by Holgate and from 25 yards out, Cresswell’s delicious free-kick curled beyond the despairing Pickford.

It was another set-piece goal scored by West Ham and conceded by Everton, made all the more painful by it being scored by a boyhood Liverpool supporter as Cresswell celebrated in front of the travelling fans.

Richarlison continued to carry Everton’s biggest threat and he ought to have levelled when he pounced on a mistake by Fredericks to latch onto Pickford’s long ball with five minutes of the half remaining, but his effort with the outside of his right boot flashed over the bar.

West Ham deservedly led at the break and might have been further ahead on the stroke of the interval when Benrahma played through Antonio, who rounded Pickford but could only steer his shot into the side-netting from an acute angle.

Everton emerged re-energised for the restart and might have equalised when Declan Rice was dispossessed and Iwobi fed Calvert-Lewin but the striker clipped the crossbar at Fabianski’s near post.

David Moyes wore a concerned look, and his grimace was even wider when Holgate’s half volley found the bottom corner via a deflection off Fornals as West Ham failed to clear a corner.

Lampard sensed a turnaround but a lapse in concentration by Iwobi allowed West Ham to restore their advantage five minutes later. The Nigerian failed to collect Keane’s pass and after Fornals had immediately played Antonio through on goal, Pickford could only divert his shot straight to Bowen for a simple finish.

Seven minutes later, things got even tougher for Lampard as Keane – already on a booking for a foul in the first half on Antonio – lunged in on the same player leaving referee Michael Oliver with no option but to dismisses Everton’s captain.

Cresswell bent the ensuing free-kick just wide and Godfrey would later deny Antonio the goal his performance deserved with a superb last-ditch tackle. Lampard was then left looking to the skies as Godfrey headed over in stoppage time.

West Ham weren’t at their best, but they often haven’t been in collecting points in the second half of this season – especially at home.

Their battle for fourth goes on under Moyes, a manager who once achieved such a glorious feat at Everton in 2005. How long ago that now feels for the blue half of Merseyside.

What’s next?

West Ham host Lyon in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday, April 7; kick-off 8pm.

Everton travel to Burnley in the Premier League on Wednesday, April 6 live on Sky Sports; kick-off 7.30pm.