£2m MOYES GOODBYE
His contract ended at midnight as Hammers cash in with stylish win
If this is to be David Moyes’ farewell as West Ham manager, then at least he can collect his fat cheque with a pat on the back for one last Premier League win.
The same cannot be said for Sam Allardyce when he meets Everton owner farhad Moshiri this week to decide his own future. This defeat, so deflating, will not help his cause.
The travelling supporters voiced their opinions throughout, spending most of the match singing about how they want Allardyce out of their club. They may get their wish.
Moyes, meanwhile, has done his job by leading West Ham to safety but he and the club could go their separate ways. He will bank a survival bonus worth up to £2million and try to find that top-eight club he craves, taking his backroom staff with him.
Beating Everton was not a bad way to bow out. Manuel Lanzini scored two goals, one of which was an exquisite, curled effort from 20 yards, although Marko Arnautovic grabbed the goal of the game.
The Austrian’s shot from distance hit the back of the net at great pace. Moyes may be on his way out, but he deserves credit for the consistency of Arnautovic.
‘Marko’s been brilliant,’ Moyes said. ‘The players are improving. We’ve shown we are trying to improve. I don’t know if anybody can come and make that big a difference in six months. Even Pep Guardiola took a bit of time to get this right.’
Moyes is now officially out of contract, with it having expired overnight. ‘I’ll take my suit off at midnight, undo my tie a little bit... be back on the streets come midnight,’ he joked on his way out.
There was no Wayne Rooney, who was first blooded by Moyes as a raw but brilliant Everton teenager in August 2002. Even all these years on, he provided Everton’s best moment this season when he completed a hat-trick by scoring from his own half against West Ham at Goodison in November.
With MLS target Rooney in the team this season, Everton have won 13 games. Without him, they have won none.
Within five minutes, Everton’s fans were singing ‘f*** off Sam Allardyce’ followed by chants of ‘ You’re getting sacked in the morning’.
Everton’s isolated striker Cenk Tosun was just as frustrated. The £27m Turk was hooked after an hour, triggering boos from the away end. He threw a bib to the ground in anger as he approached the bench.
Everton should have taken the lead through Oumar Niasse when he had only Adrian to beat, but the Spaniard saved with his legs.
They were left to rue that chance when Lanzini latched on to a loose through-ball by Cheikhou Kouyate and slotted it beyond Jordan Pickford. Arnautovic then produced his magic moment when he shrugged off Michael Keane, turned and smashed the ball from 25 yards past Pickford.
Niasse hit the woodwork but moments later beat Adrian from close range. Yet West Ham put the game out of Everton’s reach with Pickford again beaten by Lanzini’s long-range effort.
An amicable lap of appreciation ensued but West Ham do not want to celebrate survival next season. for that, they have to make the right managerial appointment.
WEST HAM (3-4-2-1): Adrian 7.5; Rice 7, Ogbonna 6, Cresswell 6.5 (Collins 88min); Zabaleta 7, Kouyate 7, Noble 7, Masuaku 6 (Fernandes 20, 6.5); Mario 7, LANZINI 8.5 (Obiang 86); Arnautovic 8. Subs not used: Hart, Carroll, Hernandez, Evra. Scorers: Lanzini 39, 82, Arnautovic 63. Manager: David Moyes 7. EVERTON (3-4-1-2): Pickford 5; Keane 5, Jagielka 5, Funes Mori 4.5 (Klaassen 45, 6); Coleman 5, Gueye 5, Schneiderlin 5.5, Baines 5.5; Davies 5.5 (Bolasie 83); Tosun 5 (Walcott 61, 6), Niasse 6. Subs not used: Robles, Martina, Holgate, Kenny. Scorer: Niasse 74. Booked: Funes Mori. Manager: Sam Allardyce 5. Referee: Graham Scott 6. Attendance: 56,926.