Everton too strong for Hammers

West Ham 0 Everton 1

This was always going to be the most difficult of the final four fixtures, up against a team with an eye on the Europa League that we traditionally struggle against. From the start the Irons struggle to penetrate the Toffees' five-man defence in a cagey game. 

The breakthrough comes after 24 minutes as the Hammers' midfield fails to close down Godfrey and he plays a precise through ball to Calvert-Lewin. The Everton man has got the wrong side of Dawson and beats him for speed before slotting past Fabianski.

The West Ham keeper then has to push over a Sigurdsson free kick and save well at the feet of Richarlison. But the Irons do keep going and fashion a great chance late on as Fornals gets in an inviting cross and Benrahma heads wide when he should score. If only that chance had fallen to Antonio. 

My phone starts to glow red with Matt announcing on WhatsApp that Benrahma can't call himself a PL player for missing the target from there. Though Said has clearly got great skill as he showed at Burnley and I think once he does finally score he'll have a better season next time round. It's too early to give up on him.

BLUE WALL

An injury to Lanzini hasn't helped, but after the break West Ham do up the tempo. Sub Bowen gets in a quicker cross, but generally we're building up much too slowly. The best chance comes when Fornals plays in the overlapping Coufal who shoots against the post. Bowen almost taps home the rebound but is leaping over the keeper and can't connect properly.

The rest of the game is rather like trying to break down FC Astra. Lingard has had a dip in form and is struggling, but he does make a brilliant defensive run to block a goalbound shot from Coleman. Everton's Allan patrols the midfield like a bouncer outside a dodgy salsa bar in Rio de Janeiro and some of our attacks are about as convincing as a Keir Starmer reshuffle.

King almost makes it two for Everton as he heads against the post. But Everton see the game out fairly comfortably. Still, there's been no lack of effort and with this squad it's a miracle that we have had a chance of Champions League football with four games to go. It's been a great season whatever happens, but the next three games are all winnable. If Fulham are relegated tonight none of our opponents will have anything to play for. And if Declan Rice returns, who was missed badly in this game, there's a real hope we can make Europe. Irons!

PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 7; Coufal 8, Diop 6, Dawson 5, Cresswell 5 (Fredericks 5); Benrahma 5 (Yarmolenko 5), Lanzini 5 (Bowen 6), Soucek 6, Lingard 5, Fornals 7; Antonio 5.