Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton v West Ham United - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - March 15, 2025 Everton's Jake O'Brien scores their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) -Jake O'Brien headed a last-gasp equaliser as Everton stretched their unbeaten Premier League run to nine games with a 1-1 draw against West Ham United in the 'David Moyes Derby' at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Czech midfielder Tomas Soucek put the Hammers ahead in the 67th, curling the ball into the bottom-right corner after a pass from Jarrod Bowen.
Ireland defender O'Brien rescued the home side's run from close range in the 90th after Everton had a first-half penalty decision overruled by VAR when a replay showed Beto had kicked the turf rather than being fouled.
"We just flooded the box with bodies. We were chasing the game a bit," O'Brien told the BBC.
"The first half we had a lot of chances. We were flat for 20 minutes and that's when they caught us but then we got together and chased the game."
Carlos Alcaraz could have snatched a winner for Everton at the finish but fired just wide of the post.
Saturday was the first time the clubs had met since manager Moyes returned to Everton, the team he had led from 2002-13, in January after leaving his second spell at West Ham at the end of last season.
Moyes, who had written in his programme notes about his time in London, went over to applaud the visiting fans after the final whistle.
"They started the second half better than us and I think when they got the goal they might just have settled in a little bit," said Moyes. "We had to sort of pick it up again, made a few changes.
"We nearly nicked it in the last minute... maybe a draw in the end was the right result.
"You want to take three points from the game but when you can't take three you've got to make sure you get one. Today was a good point as well. It's good we're beginning to get back to better levels."
The draw left both sides level on 34 points and with little left to play for other than bragging rights, seemingly safe from relegation but far from any prospect of Europe.
Everton are 14th, West Ham 16th with both 17 points clear of the bottom three and nine games remaining.
"We have to be disappointed," said Soucek, a Moyes signing for West Ham. "They didn't lose for nine games so it's tough to play here. They have great fans and it's their last few games in the stadium."
Everton have four more home league games before moving to their new waterfront stadium.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Toby Davis)
