Nuno Espirito Santo stuck to his guns – and a successful formula – when fielding an unchanged West Ham United XI for the third Premier League match in a row for the visit of David Moyes’ Everton.
This meant that Aaron Wan-Bissaka was omitted from the Hammers’ XI again.
Kyle Walker-Peters has now started every match since Wan-Bissaka’s delayed return from DR Congo’s jubilant, if overly-long World Cup celebrations. Now, there is a very real chance that Wan-Bissaka – West Ham United’s reigning Player of the Year, remember? – might not get his place back any time soon.
How will the Premier League table look when it’s all said and done? 🤔
West Ham are in a precarious position with 4 games to go! 😬
Tomas Soucek and Callum Wilson of West Ham United celebrate victory following the Premier League match between West Ham United and Everton at London Stadium
Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images
Like in the 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace and particularly the 4-0 thrashing of Wolves, Walker-Peters was one of Nuno’s most impressive performers on a day when the Hammers narrowly maintained their two-point superiority over Tottenham Hotspur in the relegation battle.
And speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Jamie Carragher felt that the understanding between the experienced right-back and captain Jarrod Bowen was a particular highlight.
Kyle Walker-Peters gets his flowers after West Ham United win
West Ham United's Kyle Walker-Peters during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between West Ham United and Leeds United
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
El Hadji Malick Diouf provided the cross from which Bowen assisted Callum Wilson’s stoppage-time winner. But Carragher was keen to highlight the role played by the other full-back.
“I mean, to score a goal of this quality at this stage of a game, with what’s happening around it…” said the Liverpool legend. “I just wanted to look at Kyle Walker-Peters at right-back and Jarrod Bowen, who I absolutely love.
MORE WEST HAM STORIES
“When you’ve got two or three minutes left, to play this pass, you’ve got to get it right.”
The pass Carragher is referring to was a lovely lofted ball down the channel from Walker-Peters into Bowen’s path; “bang on the money, and the movement is fantastic, as you expect from Jarrod Bowen.
“Imagine that [KWP pass] goes out! A minute lost.”
Bowen’s cross from the right was headed away but Walker-Peters, drifting into midfield, was first to the loose ball, recycling the play and creating the crossing opportunity for Diouf and his lethal left peg.
DISCUSS: Callum Wilson is NOT a starter for West Ham even despite his late goal vs Everton 👀
Callum Wilson celebrates after scoring for West Ham United against Everton.
Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images
Walker-Peters and Jarrod Bowen combine in Callum Wilson winner
Matchwinner Wilson joked at full-time about how relieved he was to see his 92nd minute winner hit the net despite the inadvertent presence of Walker-Peters on the goalline.
Carragher also credits the former Southampton man for making himself a nuisance in the Everton penalty area, and distracting the visiting defenders.
“The reason Callum Wilson has that much space is because Kyle Walker-Peters – the right-back who we speak about starting the move with a fantastic pass and picked up the second ball, don’t forget – he makes this run, drags [James] Tarkowski towards the ball, and Wilson puts it in the net.
“To score a goal of that quality at that time in the game, I think speaks volumes of the quality West Ham have in the team.”
This was only Walker-Peters’ 13th Premier League start since joining West Ham. For Carragher, this makes the telepathic understanding between he and Bowen all the more impressive.
“They probably haven’t got a very strong relationship because they don’t play too often together,” said the 2005 Champions League winner. “But I wanted to highlight the goal here and their role in it.”
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox