What We Learned – West Ham United 1 Everton 2

What We Learned – West Ham United 1 Everton 2 [VIDEO]

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Romelu Lukaku’s late header secured a come-from-behind 2-1 win for Everton at Upton Park on Saturday. 

The Belgian striker secured three points for the Toffees after breaking free of direct opponent, Reece Burke, and turning in Aiden McGeady’s cross from the right.

It was the Hammers who opened the scoring, however. Alex Song played in Stewart Downing, who skipped past a couple of Everton defenders to slide home past Tim Howard.

But veteran Leon Osman, who controlled the ball and struck past Adrian on the turn, cancelled his effort out only six minutes later.

The match always threatened to break open in the second half, after the first remained largely subdued.

West Ham will take casualties from the contest, too, after defender James Collins went down with a hamstring injury in the 14th minute.

Lukaku’s goal breaks a lengthy personal scoring drought, at least from open play, and is his 10th goal in the league this season.

Victory lifts Everton above the Hammers into the top half of the table – both sides are deadlocked on 47 points with a goal difference of -1.

A loss on the scoreboard, but Hammers win “fair play-off”

It was a disappointing loss on the scoreboard, but there was a positive to take from the match for Sam Allardyce’s men.

They won what was dubbed the “fair play-off”. An extra Europa League place was given to the Premier League for next season’s edition, which will be won by the club who most meets the ‘fair play’ criteria.

There is more to it than just the lowest possible accumulation of yellow and red cards, but the Hammers did themselves a favour in this regard.

Liverpool currently holds this season’s mantle of fairest club, but it looks almost certain to claim a Europa League place based on ladder position. Sitting behind it in the fair play stakes was, you guessed it, Everton and West Ham.

The Hammers put distance between themselves and their opponents, picking up only one yellow card compared to Everton’s three.

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Osman just keeps on giving

Now at the ripe age of 33, stalwart Osman is still delivering for the Blues. His equalising goal showed exactly why he is still Roberto Martinez’s preferred option on the left wing, and why he forms part of the ‘Golden Oldies’ group along with Steven Pineaar.

Despite only appearing in 20 of this season’s 37 matches, Osman has still excelled. His strike in East London was his second of the season, but the versatile attacker has also created 15 chances, including two assists.

Aaron Lennon’s last Everton match?

Quite possibly, yes.

Everton’s final match of the campaign is a home fixture against Lennon’s parent club, Tottenham, making him ineligible.

Roberto Martinez does want to make the loan permanent, but will not pay over the odds to secure the 28-year-old. A transfer fee of £6 million was previously quoted by Spurs, but Lennon’s good form since joining the Merseyside club could see the Lilywhites chase a higher return on the player.

Since signing for Everton, Lennon has made 14 appearances, scoring two goals and forming a vital part of the club’s mini-revival, injecting some much needed pace on the right-hand side.

Luke Garbutt as good as gone

Ankle surgery meant left-back mainstay Leighton Baines was unavailable for the away side, and injury-plagued Costa Rican deputy Bryan Oviedo was also unavailable after being ruled out for the season.

This saw a void left to be filled at left-back, and most would have thought 21-year-old Luke Garbutt was the man to step in.

He, however, was overlooked, with debutant Brendan Galloway drafted into the starting XI. To Galloway’s credit, he repaid the manager’s faith and held his own.

What the selection does suggest, however, is that Garbutt now seems headed for the exit door. The player is out of contract at season’s end and has drawn interest elsewhere, namely from promoted Bournemouth.

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