MusaMoyes Faces Former Club as Struggling West Ham Visit
Everton manager David Moyes prepares to face his former club, West Ham United, in a match that will be the Hammers’ first without the recently dismissed Graham Potter.
The Toffees arrive seeking to bounce back from a dip in form, having been eliminated from the League Cup by Wolves and suffering a derby defeat to league leaders Liverpool at Anfield. Despite these setbacks, their overall start to the season remains commendable following an opening-day loss to Leeds.
The visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium marks a swift and brutal end to Potter’s tenure. He leaves as statistically the worst manager in West Ham’s history, with a dismal win rate of just 28%. After losing five of the opening six matches this season, the board decided to act, sacking him despite him having taken the pre-match press conference.
In truth, West Ham have been a shadow of the team they were since David Moyes’ departure in May 2024. This Monday fixture marks his second match against them since leaving; in the last encounter, a Jake O’Brien equaliser secured a 1-1 draw for Everton after Tomáš Souček’s opener.
A win could propel Everton into a European qualification spot, depending on other results. But how do the pundits see this clash unfolding?
Pundit Predictions: A Tough Night for the Hammers
Chris Sutton: Predicts a 2-0 Everton Win
Former Blackburn and Celtic forward Chris Sutton believed it was only a matter of time before Potter was dismissed. He can only see one outcome at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, predicting a 2-0 victory for the hosts.
He explained via BBC Sport: “The irony here is that a win for former West Ham boss David Moyes, who their fans wanted to get rid of, could end Graham Potter’s time in charge of the Hammers. It’s hard to see any other outcome, to be honest. Everton are still short of a goalscoring striker but they have stacks of creativity and should have more than enough chances.
“My 606 co-host Roman Kemp described the Hill Dickinson Stadium as a fortress last week. I feel like he went a bit early there, but they should still be too strong for West Ham – I am not sure the Hammers have the stomach for a fight.”
Paul Merson: Also Backs Everton for a 2-0 Victory
Former Arsenal playmaker Paul Merson agrees that Everton will have too much for West Ham. While he criticised Moyes’ team selection in the cup loss to Wolves—questioning the logic of resting key players only to bring them on as substitutes—he believes this is the perfect fixture for a return to winning ways.
He told SportsKeeda: “I was shocked by David Moyes’ team selection for the loss against Wolves… Fortunately for Everton, West Ham have been really poor. That win over Forest papered over the cracks. Graham Potter’s side were lucky. This is the perfect fixture for Everton to put the disappointment of losing in the cup behind them.”
West Ham will be hoping to defy their doubters and prove their recent 5-2 win over Nottingham Forest was no fluke. A positive historical omen for the visitors is that since the start of 2021, they have only secured more Premier League wins against Wolves (6) than against Everton (5).
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