‘I’ve got to say’ – David Moyes makes Everton claim and gives ‘truthful answer’ about West Ham

As a manager who knows the power of the Goodison Park crowd as well as anybody, David Moyes was encouraged by how his West Ham United side responded to falling behind in a period in which the home fans and players were uplifted.

Everton’s first win of the season left the Hammers in the bottom three but the Scot, who was in charge of the Blues for over 11 years between 2002-13, said: “I thought as though that was the only period in which we were going to get any xGs (expected goals) at all. Our attacking play in the first half was ‘huff’ (sighing noise). I don’t know how many wrong decisions we made, I don’t know how many passes we gave away but I’ll tell you what, it was as high as I’ve sort of known it.

“I felt once we conceded the goal, we had our best passage of play after that and then we probably had our better moments in the game then. What we’d also did is open up and given Everton a little chance to counter-attack on a couple of occasions as well but I think in the main, in the last 15-20 minute, if anyone was going to get a goal then it was probably us.”

READ MORE: Frank Lampard silences critics as Everton prove truth fans have always known

READ MORE: Frank Lampard explains on-pitch celebrations after ‘important’ Everton win over West Ham

Both sides went into the match on four points and Moyes – who was condemned to defeat by Neal Maupay’s first goal for Everton – believed that a draw would have been a fair result. He said: “We didn’t play well and I’ve got to say I don’t think Everton played well either, it was a tight game, did we deserve to win, no, didn’t we deserve to lose, probably no as well. They took a good opportunity and we’ve had two or three pretty half-decent ones in the end and didn’t take any of them.

“We’ve come here and won two games really narrow over the past two seasons, and won narrowly at the London Stadium as well, so there was always a chance that this game was going to be really nip and tuck and it was. The game was tight, I don’t think there was really much in the game to be honest.

“I don’t think we played well, I don’t want to talk about Everton, and we only got better after they scored the goal. Before that we just ordinary and happy to, I wouldn’t say go through the motions, but doing enough just to stay in the game at the time.”

Moyes made six changes to the side that started West Ham’s 3-2 Europa Conference League win over Silkeborg in Denmark on Thursday but refused to blame the defeat on a continental hangover. Asked if it was difficult balancing act between European competition and domestic fare, Moyes said: “I want to give you a truthful answer so yes but I want to be in Europe all the time.

“I don’t want to give it up, why would any club want to give it up? I’m certainly not going to use it as an excuse, or a reason for results.

“History will tell you, if you look at all the teams that play Thursday-Sunday, it’s a difficult fixture situation. We did quite well with it last year, especially in the group stages but obviously we found it a bit tougher today, that’s for sure.”

READ NEXT