Graphic: Bill Edgar's tactical analysis

There were no trips to the Natural History Museum or National Portrait Gallery for the Everton players during their stay in London. “We went straight to our beds,” David Moyes said. That is not to say his team’s visit was not educational; indeed, the Everton manager believed that his team passed an important test in beating West Ham United twice in four days to extend their unbeaten run to 12 matches.

Everton’s next Barclays Premier League match is away to Manchester United and a win there would be a fantastic result, but Moyes is content to set more attainable targets.

“Possibly, the test [for us] was coming to West Ham,” Moyes said. “To play Man United or one of the top four is always going to be a difficult game. The tests we’ve had are like coming here for two games and the players have come through that magnificently well.

“What we had to do was get the players believing that they could win and, after we won on Wednesday night [in the Carling Cup quarter-final], we gained confidence from it and were determined to try and win this one as well. I knew it would be difficult and that’s what it proved.”

Everton played a counter-attacking style built on resolute defending and tireless midfield running, but Moyes admitted that his team had to survive a furious rally in the second half.

Alan Curbishley, the West Ham manager, was quick to blame the result on his extensive injury list after making three changes to his starting lineup, with James Collins, Fredrik Ljungberg and Carlton Cole replacing LuÍs Boa Morte, Matthew Etherington and Danny Gabbidon. “One of the biggest problems is people are exposed, not 100 per cent match fit for this Premier League, and we’re throwing them in,” he said. “And to get through it is very, very difficult.”

It would have been less arduous for the home side had Ljungberg converted a glorious chance in the fifteenth minute, but Yakubu Ayegbeni scored his fifth goal in three games just before half-time. Mikel Arteta picked out Tim Cahill with an inswinging cross from the left and the Australia midfield player’s header across goal gave his strike partner an easy finish.

West Ham deserted their short-passing game for a more direct style in the second period, but this ultimately proved costly with the defence exposed. Yakubu will be missing for Everton when the African Cup of Nations starts next month, but this is not of great concern for Moyes, who watched Andrew Johnson, the Nigeria striker’s replacement, show all his awareness, pace and finishing acumen to nick Everton’s second.

West Ham United (4-4-2): R Green 7 – L Neill 5, J Collins 5, M Upson 5, G McCartney 5 – N Solano 6 (sub: M Noble, 59min 5), S Parker 7, H Mullins 5 (sub: K Reid, 79), F Ljungberg 6 – C Cole 6 (sub: H Camara, 46 4), D Ashton 5. Substitutes not used: R Wright, J Spector. Booked: Ljungberg. Next: Middlesbrough (a).

Everton (4-4-1-1): T Howard 7 – P Neville 6, J Yobo 7, P Jagielka 7, J Lescott 7 – M Arteta 6, L Carsley 6, L Osman 7, S Pienaar 7 – T Cahill 6 – Yakubu Ayegbeni 7 (sub: A Johnson, 87).Substitutes not used:S Wessels, A Hibbert, T Gravesen, J McFadden. Booked: Yakubu, Johnson. Next: Manchester United (a).

Referee S Tanner
Attendance 34,430