Everton 2-1 West Ham

Goals from Romelu Lukaku and Leon Osman sealed a 2-1 victory over an in form West Ham side in a result Roberto Martinez described as Everton’s ‘most satisfying win’ so far.

Romelu Lukaku opened the scoring for Everton in the first half, West Ham replied on 56 minutes through Mauro Zarate but Leon Osman’s rounded off his 400th appearance for the Toffees with the winning 73rd-minute goal.

The opener came in the 26th minute, when Ross Barkley controlled a headed pass from Naismith and saw his effort blocked, taking a fortuitous deflection to Lukaku, who in space to the left of the six-yard box slotted calmly into the net to record his 21st goal in 50 Everton appearances.

Eleven minutes later Lukaku thought he made it 22 in 50 after putting the ball in the back of the net for a second time but it was correctly ruled off-side.

West Ham equalised in the second half through Argentine striker Zarate, who had only just come on for West Ham as a substitute, picked the ball up on the right in the 56th minute, ran across the top of the Everton box and fired through several defenders. The ball hit Jagielka’s out-stretched leg, taking a big deflection over the advancing Tim Howard, who could do nothing to prevent the ball looping high over his head and into the net for the equaliser.

James McCarthy went close for Everton three minutes later after running at James Tomkins, cutting inside and curling a beautiful shot just past the far corner of the goal.

The decisive goal came in the 73rd minute after Lukaku broke quickly over the half-way line and James Collins viciously took him out. Ref Mark Clattenburg played an excellent advantage and Samuel Eto’o, on as a substitute for Kevin Mirallas, collected the ball to thread a perfect ball across the box to Osman racing in on the far side. And midfielder Osman made no mistake to put Everton back in front with his second goal of the season which proved the decider to give Everton all 3 points.

FT Everton 2-1 West Ham.