SMALL TIME

Moyes turns Benitez jibe on its head as Ogbonna seals points for Hammers

CHRIS McKENNA

IT was David Moyes’ Everton who Rafa Benitez once accused of having a ‘smalltime’ mentality.

So Moyes – now at West Ham – may have enjoyed inflicting a first defeat on Benitez since the Spaniard took charge at Goodison Park.

Angelo Ogbonna’s second-half header was the difference between the sides, the Hammers winning back-to-back league games at this ground for the first time since 1930.

But there was little between them and there is not likely to be for most of the season, either.

Both will be pushing for European places, if not threatening the big guns for the Champions League spots.

And this was what you would expect from sides managed by Benitez and Moyes.

Tight and tactical would be two words to describe it.

Moyes, who was in charge of Everton when the then Liverpool boss called them “small time” after a 2007 Merseyside derby draw, secured just his fourth win in 18 games against a side managed by Benitez.

It was an important one as well. Not because it put the Hammers above Everton and into seventh after eight games, but because it was one which laid down a marker against a side who will be their rivals for Europe. He will have also enjoyed getting the edge in a tight game against a tactician like Benitez, too.

That was thanks to Ogbonna’s goal but also the midfield ability of Declan Rice who, at 22, continues to prove how valuable he is to this West Ham team.

Everton had chances but they were squandered and in tight games that is going to hurt. Alex Iwobi’s first-half swing (below)

and miss from a good cross from Demarai Gray was a particularly good opportunity wasted. Abdoulaye Doucoure then headed wide but it was a more difficult chance.

Goodison was where Moyes first became a Premier League manager and where he spent 11 years in charge. So he knows better than anyone how the crowd can influence games.

But they were pretty much silenced by the action in front of them as West Ham controlled the game without really penetrating the Toffees back line. When they did, the offside flag rightly ruled out an effort by Tomas Soucek.

Everton pressed at the start of the second half and this time Iwobi connected with the ball but his shot was blocked. Then Salomon Rondon, an ineffective figure for the most part, glanced a header wide.

The winner came in the 74th minute. A hacked clearance from Ben Godfrey spun into the air which led to an aerial challenge between Jordan Pickford and Michail Antonio.

The ball dropped out behind the goal and the officials gave a corner, much to the anger of Pickford, who felt Antonio’s challenge was unfair although there seemed little wrong with it.

He was further incensed when Ogbonna rose to head home Jarrod Bowen’s well-placed corner.

Everton pushed for an equaliser but they badly missed Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison, who are still out injured.

Gray had a strike blocked by former Everton loanee Kurt Zouma.

Bowen came close to rounding up the victory late on but curled wide at the other end.

Everton’s second defeat in the league will now be a test of how they can bounce back when Watford visit next Saturday.