Everton 1-3 West Ham: Tomas Soucek and Edson Alvarez secure dramatic late victory

Tomas Soucek struck a stylish half-volley as West Ham scored twice in injury time to clinch a dramatic win at Everton.

Kurt Zouma equalised for the Hammers with a header from a corner.

The game looked set to end in a draw but Soucek scored a stunning goal with his instep in added time before Edson Alvarez struck right at the end.

It gave David Moyes, who managed Everton from 2002 to 2013, a hat-trick of Goodison Park victories over his old club as Hammers boss.

Moyes’ side move up to seventh in the the Premier League table while Everton are 16th – five points above the relegation zone.

The Toffees are also winless in 10 games, stretching back to a 2-0 win over Burnley on 16 December.

Beto miss costly as Blues pay for lack of cutting edge

This was Everton’s first game since their 10-point deduction for breaching Premier League financial rules was reduced to six on appeal.

However, there remains a degree of anxiety around a separate charge – along with Nottingham Forest – for alleged breaches in their accounts for 2022-23.

That case must be heard by 8 April – but any appeal could take that process to 24 May, the week after the season has concluded.

If Everton are to render the impact of another potential deduction irrelevant, in terms of maintaining their top-flight status, they simply need to become more clinical in front of goal as the business end of the season looms.

For all their defensive improvements under Sean Dyche, their lack of cutting edge up front was again apparent.

Dyche dropped the misfiring Dominic Calvert-Lewin after a run of 20 games without a goal in favour of Beto.

The Portuguese striker, signed for £30m from Udinese last August, offered a willingness but lacked finesse and composure at the crucial moments.

That was most apparent when Everton were awarded a penalty – having been the only Premier League club not to be given one in the 2023-24 season up to this game – after an intervention by the video assistant referee.

A poor spot-kick from Beto was saved by West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, who dived low to his left.

Beto partially made amends with an unmarked headed goal from James Garner’s deep cross which, in truth, it would have been easier to miss.

But there was a strong sense that unless either Beto or Calvert-Levin are able to find the net regularly, Everton will not be able to relax during the run in.

More to follow.