LIVERPOOL: Spectacular strikes from Bernard and Gylfi Sigurdsson ended Everton’s four-match losing streak as they beat West Ham United 2-0 at Goodison Park on Saturday.
The vital win lifts Everton out of the Premier League relegation zone after their recent run of bad form and into 12th place on 10 points. West Ham lie eighth pending the outcome of later matches.
Everton went ahead in the 17th minute when Theo Walcott played in Bernard and the Brazilian skilfully jinked through the West Ham defence before sliding the ball under goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez at his near post.
Richarlison almost doubled the hosts’ lead but his 22nd-minute effort came back off the post.
The Toffees were again denied by the woodwork as Walcott struck the crossbar with a ferocious hit from the edge of the penalty area.
Substitute Sigurdsson wrapped up the win with a magnificent finish of his own, curling into the top-left corner in the second minute of stoppage time.
West Ham came into the match having won two of their last three Premier League meetings with Everton, and were also unbeaten in six away league matches.