Ronald Koeman keen to bank on Ross Barkley

Everton 2 West Ham 0: Romelu Lukaku maintained his record of having scored every time he has played against West Ham — nine and counting — but the Everton victory marked a personal triumph for his midfield team-mate Ross Barkley.

Having lost his England squad place during Sam Allardyce’s short, ill-fated reign, the season has been a challenge for the 22-year-old Liverpudlian who has been criticised by pundits and his own supporters alike, even losing his place at Goodison under new manager Ronald Koeman.

But his role in the 75th-minute goal, playing a pass half the length of the field for Lukaku before sprinting to the far post where he collected the Belgian’s cross and scored with a sumptuous half-volley, showed his wide-ranging abilities.