Soucek scores 1st EPL goal of 2021 as West Ham beats Everton

Liverpool, England, Jan. 2 (AP/PTI): Tomas Soucek scored the first English Premier League goal of 2021 as West Ham beat Everton 1-0 on Friday.

Soucek struck for the visitors in the 86th minute to end Everton’s streak of four league wins.

The Toffees remained on 29 points with West Ham 10th on 26. Leader Liverpool has 33 points.

With no fans allowed due to coronavirus restrictions, West Ham’s David Moyes registered his first win at Goodison Park as an opposition manager.

The Scot had lost all four previous appearances by an aggregate of 12-1 on a ground where he had success until leaving Everton for Manchester United in 2013.

Having done their primary job of not conceding, the Hammers benefited from some good fortune when Aaron Cresswell’s mis-hit shot deflected off Yerry Mina and into the path of Soucek, who could not miss.

 “The players have played three games in six days and I don’t think you would have said there was any difference in how the fitness looked, or how they were,” Moyes said. “So great credit to the players for the way they have gone about it. That is a big change in the mentality here at West Ham, and they are showing it in the games.”

The game got off to an inauspicious start for West Ham when goalkeeper Lucasz Fabianski was injured in the warmup and had to be replaced by Darren Rudolph before kickoff.