David Moyes engaged the referee, Stuart Attwell, in lengthy conversation on the final whistle, then waved politely to old friends in the directors’ box before striding over to the jubilant West Ham fans in the far corner of Goodison Park. Only when he reached them, and started punching the air in celebration, did we finally see what this victory meant.
Goodison has not provided its former manager with the warmest of returns since he departed eight years ago, revelling in his torturous finale at Manchester United and overlooking his claims for a second go at the job several times since. The sight of Rafael Benítez, a former adversary from many Merseyside derbies, in the home dugout may have provided an added spur. West Ham delivered a result and a performance for their manager to savour. The visitors lacked a cutting edge to accompany their authority but, thanks to Angelo Ogbonna’s late header, claimed the victory their efforts deserved.
