Moyes has made Everton a ‘must win’

Everton a ‘must win’ following mass rotation

David Moyes assessment of his former club Everton was both fair and somewhat generic. The Hammers manager offered comments that could have applied to virtually any opponent, giving little specific insight. In essence it was a cut and paste job which could be accredited to any team.

However, Moyes finds himself in a challenging position after openly admitting to resting players in our midweek Europa game to prepare for the Premier League match against Everton. It wasn’t so much throwing a fixture, but he certainly prioritised one over another.

Moyes told reporters, “Everton are a resilient team that’s challenging to break down. They have shown stronger performances on the road this season, and I don’t anticipate teams easily defeating them. They have players who can score goals.”

Whilst these statements hold true, Moyes must secure a victory in this game to maintain West Ham’s early-season momentum. The early surge and form seems to be dissipating, and could easily turn into mediocrity.

It’s any managers prerogative to rotate and rest players as needed, and if West Ham go on to win our Europa League group and defeat Everton, Moyes’ decisions would be vindicated. However, should the Hammers deliver a lacklustre performance against Everton at The London Stadium on Sunday, Moyes will face significant questions and scrutiny.