Premier LeagueEverton 1-1 West Ham United
Monday, 29th September 2025
by Chris Wilkerson | Forum match thread
West Ham remain in the bottom three, but will feel hope springing as Nuno Espirito Santo's first game in charge saw a determined comeback as skipper Jarrod Bowen rescued a 1-1 draw at Everton's new home.
After conceding halfway through the first half, another headed goal, The Hammers kept themselves in the game and weathered the Everton pressure, until they found their footing in the second half and earned a deserved point as the captain equalised with 25 minutes to play.A stuttering performance lacking intensity and identity saw The Hammers concede another headed goal, centre back Michael Keane left unmarked and unchallenged to power a header home as Garner crossed into the West Ham box.
The new manager made two changes to the team that wilted to defeat against Crystal Palace last weekend, with Fullkrug replacing Wilson and Magassa coming in for a first start, in place of the much maligned Ward-Prowse, who didn't travel up to Liverpool.
It was not a good first half for Nuno's charges. Those looking for signs of change and fresh improvement were left watching a team as flat as it has been for the majority of this season, although that comes as no surprise after the now sacked Potter was left to prepare the team all week.
What little spark West Ham had came from the running of Summerville, who threatened when dribbling at defenders.
There was little else to speak of. Fullkrug looked more intent on getting into battles with the centre backs, battles he lost. Bowen was muted, Paqueta busy but without influence.
The contrast between the two teams was stark. Moyes has a team in his image, structured and disciplined, full of hard running and power.
It was the home side's half. They started on top and kept the pressure on, but struggled to make chances against a defence that seemed happy to sit deep. A Moyes side struggling to break a team down, you may have seen it before.
Summerville had a spark of something that kept Everton honest at the other end, one fabulous run resulting in a blocked shot after Fullkrug took the ball from the winger and then laid it back to him, complicating rather than helping the Dutchman's progress.
Straight down the other end, Beto should have done much better with a headed chance after finding space between Kilman and Mavropanos, but could only guide it on to Areola after a fine cross from Tarkowski. For a sense of how deep West Ham were happy to sit, just imagine how often the veteran centre back is comfortable pushing high and wide into the opposition half to deliver crosses.
Everton were finding some joy down their left, with Mykolenko pushing high to support Grealish, and Dewsbury-Hall naturally drifting to the flank, too. Walker-Peters was eventually booked after a third foul on Grealish caught the eye of the referee.
Ndiaye stung the palms of Areola when his dancing feet opened up space on the corner of the box, but it was the Toffees' first corner in the 18th-minute that led to the opening goal.
With the ball curled in at Areola, the Frenchman did well to punch away, but the danger wasn't gone. Unfortunately, as if all their anxiety was tied directly to set pieces, the West Ham defence was not prepared as Everton worked it back out to the left for Garner, who had time to line up a curling cross into the box.
It was perfect for Michael Keane, who got up and powered a header at goal from 12 yards out, beating Areola for pace and height as the centre back gave his side the lead with a commanding effort.
Another headed goal conceded, what makes it more frustrating is that the defender was free of pressure to do so. Mavropanos watched him drift into space in the box and failed to react, neither taking a step towards him nor challenging for the ball when it came in, instead jumping and waiting for it to reach him.
This is where the new manager needs to make a real difference. Potter had improved the structures and organisation, bit by bit, too slowly but somewhat, nonetheless.
The issue now is an inability to react to change and new situations. Like Sarr moving to the back post unchecked, like Guehi bullying Kilman in the air, this was poor decision making by the defenders on the pitch, although it must be said Keane's header was exceptional.
The Hammers had only made inroads with the running of Summerville, but even that fell by the wayside for the rest of the half as Everton took hold.
Tarkowski picked up a booking for scything Fullkrug down, and the German struggled to do much more in the half than slightly annoy the centre backs against him. He was annoying his own teammates and fans, too, as he continued to waste opportunities on the ball. In one minute he gave the ball away three times with little pressure on him.
At the other end, Everton were trying to turn control into pressure and goals. Dewsbury-Hall came close with a powerful header after Ndiaye beat Diouf before crossing from the right, but it was all they could muster with the dominance they had. West Ham were happy to make the break with the score still at 1-0.
The changes at the break were more subtle than maybe some would have liked, with Magassa now more clearly anchoring behind a marauding pair of Fernandes and Paqueta, but Everton remained on top.
Gueye, having something of an Indian summer in his career at 36, smashed just over after a corner and some chaos in the box saw the ball teed up to him on the edge of the area, and then the home fans were up in desperation as a hit an arm in the six-yard box, only for VAR to rightly rule it had deflected off Areola and into him from close range.
Five minutes later, Areola was forced into a save, this time a sharp one down to his right after a corner was not cleared and the ball looped down to the midfielder just inside the box. It was a fine stop, made better by the reaction with such a mass of bodies in front of him.
It prompted the manager into his first change, replacing Magassa with Freddie Potts, the Frenchman having recently been booked. For Potts, it was a fresh chance to impress, having been seemingly cast aside by Graham Potter.
It was one he took, showing himself as everything the previous manager thought Ward-Prowse was, perpetual in motion, but finding forward passes quickly. If the feeling was he was not up to the physical intensity of the league, he looked more comfortable than the man he replaced, and proved himself notably late on when twice stood-up by Grealish, and twice beating the winger to win back possession.
There was a big chance for Summerville, who fantastically what O'Brien was going to do as a long ball was sent forward. The Irish defender tried to nod it back to Pickford, but Summerville was alert, and rapid, anticipating the header and running to where it went.
He poked it at goal from just inside the box, but Pickford reacted with sharp instincts to throw out a leg and divert it wide. Espirito Santo wheeled away in misery, expecting the forward to score.
A minute later, Paqueta was given a chance to shoot on the edge of the box by smart work from Summerville, but fumbled the opening.
It was a ramping up of intensity and pressure that Everton seemed not to expect, and as it allowed Diouf to get forward more and more, it was a move up field from the left back that opened Everton up.
After Diouf won it at the back, he piled forward. Summerville saw his overlap and rolled it into his path, and Diouf delivered one of his trademark crosses, curling it at speed into the box.
It was flicked away from Fullkrug, but bounced to the top corner of the box on the West Ham right, where Jarrod Bowen picked it up. And Jarrod Bowen did what Jarrod Bowen does, controlling it, rolling it onto his left foot, and curling it across goal to the far corner.
Pickford looked like he may have had a chance at saving it, but that disappeared as Keane lent down to try deflect it away, only to head it into his own goal, restoring parity and giving The Hammers reward for some strong pressure. Yet again, West Ham had become the first opposing team to score at a new stadium, Bowen's name now in history at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The captain couldn't do more with a slight opening in the box, too quickly crowded out this time, but West Ham went looking for a winner.
That momentum faded, though, when the new manager withdrew the talismanic Summerville, with his minutes likely being carefully monitored as he comes back from that long term hamstring issue.
Mavropanos escaped his own insanity after trying to turn a man on the edge of the box and dragging him down, as Garner's shot from the freekick went wide. That woke the Everton fans up again, but it wasn't until Mykolenko escaped a certain red card that the players came with them.
A tussle with Paqueta saw the Brazilian all but straddle the left back, but the elbow he threw out at him was a red card offence, somehow only seen as a yellow. It appeared that Paqueta feigning injury to the face was enough to the face, when he was hit in the stomach, may have saved the Ukrainian from the punishment he deserved, but it was a baffling decision.
Suddenly, the ending was all about Everton piling on the pressure, but all they could produce, other than tension, was one threatening effort from Garner, who drove an effort from the edge of the area through a crowded penalty box, only for Areola to deflect it wide.
In the end, 1-1 felt fair, and a good early point for Nuno was enough to get some cheer among West Ham fans again. How long that lasts, goodness only knows.
Manager's Rating
Nuno Espirito Santo: 7/10 Hard to judge what was him and what was Potter, but he got a point at a tough ground and the side looked less flustered and fragile.
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Click to view all West Ham United vs Everton match reports Click to view all match reports by Chris Wilkerson Like to share your thoughts on this article? Please visit the KUMB Forum to leave a comment.Player Ratings
Click on any player's name to view their full KUMB bio, including all historical match notes and ratings/10.Alphonse Areola
Made good saves, and generally made them well, making sure the ball was safe either wide or held in his arms. Punched a couple corners.
Kyle Walker-Peters
Reacted well to early struggles against Grealish after originally just fouling him a lot, but adapted once booked. Offered nothing in the Everton half.
El Hadji Malick Diouf
Such a danger on the overlap, and improved at the back after a tricky first half saw Ndiaye really threaten him.
Konstantinos Mavropanos
You just can't trust him. Even if the criticism on the first goal is harsh, he nearly lost the game by dithering in possession and trying a Cruyff turn to get out of it.
Max Kilman
Looked more assured, and with our centre back options as they are, just Nuno being able to get Kilman more confident could make a huge difference. Won't be against Beto every week, though.
Soungoutou Magassa
Looked a bit shocked by the intensity, but showed that he can get his head up and pass forward quickly, which is a skill the side lacks.
Mateus Fernandes
Mostly played deeper than Paqueta in more of a holding pair, and this limits some of his pass and move play. He can be dynamic in the opposition half but was disciplined.
Lucas Paqueta
Whilst wasteful at times, he was incredibly busy and did a lot of defensive grunt work.
Crysencio Summerville
Whilst others were flat, Summerville was not, and looks like he is finding his place in this team. Tricky at pace, he terrified defenders and was a spark when West Ham were lacking one. We got worse after he went off.
Jarrod Bowen
Summerville was the best player, but Bowen is the real threat. Allow him time and space and he will score, and Moyes must have had a rueful smile on his face as Bowen did what his former manager once benefited from greatly.
Niclas Fullkrug
Wanted to get into a scrap with Tarkowski and Keane, but was almost mocked by them in response, so easy they found him to play against. Offered nothing.
Substitutes
Freddie Potts(Magassa 59') Looked sharp and looked comfortable at this level and intensity.
Luis Guilherme
(Summerville 77') Tried to offer a wide outlet but West Ham faded when he was introduced for Summerville.
Igor Julio
(Paqueta 94') On the field for the final few moments only.
Andy Irving
(Fullkrug 94') On the field for the final few moments only.
Mads Hermansen
Did not play.
Ollie Scarles
Did not play.
Guido Rodriguez
Did not play.
Callum Marshall
Did not play.
Callum Wilson
Did not play.
Match Facts
West Ham United: Alphonse Areola, Kyle Walker-Peters, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Max Kilman, Soungoutou Magassa, Mateus Fernandes, Lucas Paqueta, Crysencio Summerville, Jarrod Bowen, Niclas Fullkrug.Goals: Jarrod Bowen 0 0.
Booked: None booked. .
Sent Off: None sent off. 0.
Everton: .
Subs not used: .
Goals: .
Booked: .
Sent off: None.
Referee: .
Attendance: 0.
Man of the Match: .