West Ham 1-1 Everton: Romelu Lukaku cancels out Manuel Lanzini opener

Saturday 7 November 2015 21:17, UK

Romelu Lukaku scored his seventh goal in as many appearances against West Ham as Everton drew 1-1 at Upton Park on Saturday.

Manuel Lanzini put the Hammers ahead after 30 minutes with a composed finish, but Lukaku equalised late in the first half from Gerard Deulofeu's through ball.

Neither side were able to find a winner after the break, with West Ham losing Dimitri Payet and his replacement Enner Valencia to injury.

While Hammers boss Slaven Bilic cut a frustrated figure at the final whistle, a draw was probably a fair result after a game of few clear-cut chances.

West Ham had won just one of their last 18 encounters with Everton, with their last victory in the Premier League coming in 2007.

Both sides made one change to their starting line-ups, with Winston Reid replacing the suspended James Collins for West Ham, and Brendan Galloway coming in for Bryan Oviedo for Everton.

It was the hosts who created the first opportunity as Victor Moses shot into the side-netting from Payet's cut-back.

Ross Barkley then curled an effort at Adrian at the other end before Arouna Kone shot wide after a quickly-taken free-kick.

The Hammers looked most threatening down the right through Moses and it was from his blocked shot that the opening goal arrived after half an hour.

The ball came out to Lanzini on the edge of the area and he showed fantastic composure to pick out the top corner with a fine right-footed shot.

However, Lukaku got his obligatory goal against the Hammers two minutes before half-time.

Deulofeu threaded the ball between two defenders and Lukaku took it around Adrian and rolled it into the net for his ninth goal of the campaign.

West Ham lost Payet to injury shortly after half-time, with the Frenchman feeling the effects of a scissor tackle from James McCarthy in the first half.

Still, they went close to regaining the lead as Lanzini forced a fingertip save from Tim Howard at his near post and Reid headed over from a corner.

The Hammers were forced into another change as Valencia was stretchered off and Lukaku almost won it for Everton late on when he prodded Galloway's low cross inches wide with four minutes remaining.

Matt Le Tissier's Soccer Saturday verdict

"It was a very fair result. Over the course of the 90 minutes I don't remember the goalkeepers having to make many saves. The two decent efforts that were on goal both hit the back of the net. Adrian made one from his foot but in terms of the play it was all fairly even.

"Kone had a chance to slip in Lukaku in the first half and he decided to go against it and went to take the shot on his own which was from outside the box. It was a difficult chance and I didn't see too many bits of link-up play between the pair of them. Kone got substituted in the end."

Player ratings

West Ham: Adrian (6), Jenkinson (6), Reid (6), Tomkins (6), Cresswell (6), Noble (6), Kouyate (6), Moses (7), Payet (5), Lanzini (7), Carroll (5).

Subs used: Zarate (5), Valencia (5), Jelavic (5).

Everton: Howard (6), Galloway (6), Funes Mori (5), Stones (6), Coleman (6), Barry (6), McCarthy (6), Kone (6), Barkley (6), Deulofeu (6), Lukaku (7).

Subs used: Mirallas (5), Lennon (5).

Man of the match: Victor Moses.