13:04
33 min: A want from James Ferguson that might scramble too many brains, together with mine as our common Arsenal author – “My soccer want entails redemption: that in a crucial season ending match (both to keep away from relegation or to make it into subsequent season’s European play) Arsenal are compelled to depend on the forgotten man Özil, who rises from the lifeless with an epic two objective and two help efficiency, thereby guaranteeing that Arsenal keep away from additional grief.”
13:02
31 min: Are West Ham studying this? They assemble a affected person transfer throughout the Everton field, the ball ending up with Cresswell in an honest place. He pulls his effort throughout objective with no one sniffing across the six-yard field, however I’ll take this as a “second”.
13:00
30 min: I’m not messing round right here by the best way, this has been an completely horrible half-hour of soccer and nothing has occurred. Til it begins to, I’m particularly all in favour of you.
12:59
29 min: Now Bogdan Kotarlic writes in from Serbia along with his hopes – “Everton on the finish of the season finishes within the high 4, an fascinating Euro 2020 (or is it Euro 2021?) and, above all, return of the followers within the stadia (which suggests the tip of that disgusting pandemic, in fact).”
12:58
27 min: Here’s what Redmond Grimes needs from his footballing yr – “Crowds again is #1. Then Chelsea within the high 4, England within the remaining of 2020, Chelsea girls successful the WSL and Champions League, Canada to qualify for 2022 WC.”
12:56
26 min: Needs from Simon McMahon, now – “If I’m being wise, it’s for crowds to get again safely into stadiums, soccer with out followers simply isn’t the identical. And for everybody to be slightly kinder, in particular person and on the socials. And for the Euros to be the perfect main finals ever. When you’re asking me to dream – and hey, goals are free, proper? – then I hope Scotland win the Euros, and if Dundee United can have the Scottish Cup, that might be dandy too.”
12:55
24 min: Now a West Ham nook. That is all one thing. Bowen’s supply from the proper, inswinging, is definitely actually good and goes simply past all of the flailing limbs and heads earlier than drifting behind.
12:53
23 min: Kari Tulinius has a want we are able to get behind – “My soccer want is that every one soccer shall be performed in entrance of crowds once more. Video games really feel weirdly rhythm-less with out the general public. The Ligue 1 and Bundesliga video games I’ve watched with individuals within the stands, even when it’s solely a fifth of the capability, has the ebb and stream I’ve missed. A spectacle with out spectators isn’t a lot of something.”
12:52
22 min: An Everton nook! Will one thing occur right here? Nope. Calvert-Lewin does attain the ball however heads miles over.
12:50
20 min: Dawson appeared in large hassle for some time however has simply walked off and, instantly, again on once more. I’m unsure what occurred there. Did he really feel ailing? Did he suppose he’d tweaked one thing? It was a little bit of a wierd incident.
12:49
19 min: “It’s obtained to be evaluation of the offside rule,” writes Ben Hayes concerning his soccer want. Throw in a binning of VAR and now you’re speaking.
12:48
17 min: Dawson has gone down very painfully after slicing a clearance – it seems like he may need completed one thing dangerous when swinging on the ball. The physios are on.
12:46
15 min: What’s your soccer want for 2021? Do you’ve gotten one? E mail it in! On current proof I’ll have time and area to share just a few.
12:43
13 min: These two proceed to cancel one another out. I think we’re in for a fairly free affair all spherical, which hopefully interprets into possibilities in some unspecified time in the future. Fornals tries to create one however undercooks a go for Benrahma.
12:41
10 min: I do hope this turns into a superb recreation. I’ve … can I say this? … not notably loved lots of the matches I’ve attended or watched in these previous couple of weeks. It’s probably not a criticism as a result of these are bizarre circumstances and actually powerful issues are being requested of those gamers. The tempo and stage have simply dipped a bit.
12:38
7 min: Cresswell makes area cleverly to ship teasingly from the Hammers’ left aspect however Bowen, leaping on the close to put up, can’t direct it in the direction of objective. Haller would have fancied that one.
Up to date
12:37
6 min: Doucoure and Bernard do properly to play Sigurdsson in on the left, however Dawson will get a toe forward of Calvert-Lewin and the centre dribbles again to Randolph.
12:34
4 min: It’s scruffy thus far, either side displaying a sure urge for food to assault however little being strung collectively.
12:32
2 min: Bowen has an early cross cleared for West Ham, however Everton calm issues down with some possession in midfield.
12:31
Peeeeep! We’re off
West Ham kick off and kick left to proper on yer (actual or imaginary) telly.
12:29
A minute’s silence/applause is now being noticed at Goodison for these with an Everton connection who died throughout 2020.
Up to date
12:26
“This Everton fan remains to be ready for the axe to fall,” writes Mary Waltz. I’ve solely been following the Premier League for 9 years, determined to select the Toffees as a result of my British expat tutor advised me I had to decide on a staff. He’s a Man U fan. However I rapidly settled into mid-table expectations so this yr, thus far, has been dreamlike. I hope to remain asleep.”
12:25
The groups are about to stride out at Goodison – large probability for Everton, this, and for West Ham too actually. Maintain tight!
12:19
Late change – Darren Randolph in for Lukasz Fabianski
A pre-match blow for West Ham, whose first-choice keeper is injured within the warm-up.
12:18
Everton haven’t performed since Boxing Day, as a result of the sport with Man Metropolis was postponed. The Hammers are about to play their third recreation since Christmas (they’ve drawn with Brighton and at Southampton). David Moyes isn’t pleased with the fixture listing.
12:09
Matt Burtz writes: “This Everton fan dares to dream of a league title. If that doesn’t occur, high 4 is definitely inside attain, particularly contemplating this latest run of wins has been with out James Rodriguez, Lucas Digne, and different key figures. With Carlo on the helm, seemingly something is feasible.”
12:07
The switch window is open. Once more. However what does *your* staff wish to get out of it? Learn on:
Perhaps the most eyecatching team news there is the return of James Rodriguez to Everton’s bench – he’s been out for almost a month and it could be a real gamechanger for them to have him back. Michael Keane is also on the bench; Alex Iwobi out injured.
For West Ham, Said Benrahma is back in the starting XI while Jarred Bowen and Vladimir Coufal also return.
11:49
You need to dream the dream! Everton followers, suppose the highest 4 – at the least – is *on* this yr?
11:39
Groups
Everton: Pickford; Coleman, Holgate, Mina, Godfrey; Doucoure, Davies; Bernard, Sigurdsson, Richarlison; Calvert-Lewin. Subs: Olsen, Lossl, Keane, Tosun, Nkounkou, Rodriguez, Gomes, Gordon, Branthwaite.
West Ham: Fabianski; Coufal, Dawson, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Rice, Soucek; Bowen, Fornals, Benrahma; Haller. Subs: Randolph, Johnson, Diop, Balbuena, Noble, Lanzini, Snodgrass, Yarmolenko, Antonio.
08:55
Howdy …
… and blissful new yr! It’s what it says on the tin, a brand new one and hopefully a considerably higher one. Belief you’ve gotten all seen it in cheerfully, safely and healthily – and now let’s crack on with one thing that may hopefully be a factor of the previous by the tip of 2021: Premier League soccer with out followers.
It’s a cracking prospect, although, this one! Everton go second in the event that they win, at the very least for an hour or two, and would actually tighten issues up on the high by going some extent behind them down the highway. They’ve gained 4 straight league video games regardless of a major variety of damage issues so right now will be filed underneath “alternative”.
To be honest, going through West Ham counts much less as a kind of than it used to. David Moyes, who would have beloved to take Everton on to the “subsequent stage” again within the day, returns with a aspect that appears decidedly competent nowadays, if slightly shaky on the present type entrance with one win from their final six. Is that this the place, and when, they flip it again round and transfer stage on factors (once more, for now) with that gaggle of golf equipment on the fringes of the European spots?
Discover out quickly! 5.30pm UK time quickly!