Moyes joy at historic victory for Hammers

COLONEL Harland Sanders was selling his first fried chicken and Clarence Birdseye had just introduced the world to frozen food the last time West Ham won back-to-back games at Goodison Park, more than 91 years ago. It is safe to say these occasions don’t come around very often, so David Moyes had every reason to celebrate what also represented a personal triumph over his former club Everton and old adversary Rafa Benitez yesterday. Moyes has not had many happy returns to Goodison since leaving to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013. Indeed, his last stand as United boss took place here the following year when many will recall the image of a Grim Reaper on his shoulder in the dugout. But the Scot won at his old stomping ground for the first time with West Ham on New Year’s Day, and he did it again yesterday thanks to a 74th-minute header from defender Angelo Ogbonna to give the Hammers consecutive wins at Goodison for the first time since March 1930. West Ham moved above Everton on goal difference in what is likely to be an ongoing battle for European football. Moyes and Benitez fought memorable Merseyside derbies here, but this encounter will not linger long in the memory. It was no surprise it was settled by a goal from a corner, considering West Ham have scored more from set-pieces than any other Premier League team since Moyes returned to the club in December 2019. This was No 29 excluding penalties. Referee Stuart Attwell’s decision to award the corner was disputed by Everton after goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was challenged by Michail Antonio. ‘I have a problem because I am from Spain and normally in Europe the six-yard box is to protect the keeper,’ said Benitez. ‘When you have a player blocking the keeper in the six-yard area it’s a free-kick, and then you argue whether there is a corner. You must protect him.’ Jarrod Bowen delivered the ball and Ogbonna rose above Ben Godfrey to flick a header past Pickford into the far corner. Moyes defended Attwell’s decision not to penalise Antonio. ‘There is a bit more contact in the game,’ he said. ‘The game is a better watch than it was over the last two seasons. Overall, the referees are doing a much better job.’