LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — West Ham manager David Moyes was thankful for Angelo Ogbonna’s 74th-minute headed goal in Sunday’s 1-0 victory over former club Everton but annoyed that his side had not scored more before then.
Center back Ogbonna flicked home a header late on for a Premier League high 29th set-piece goal — excluding penalties — since Moyes returned to West Ham for his second spell in charge in December 2019.
It was only the Scot’s third league victory over former Merseyside adversary Rafael Benitez.
“I was annoyed because I thought our play warranted more goals from it or even if we had clear opportunities created from it,” said Moyes. “But credit to Everton, they defended the box well when we got there and we didn’t show enough in the final third.”
On his side’s prowess from set pieces, Moyes said: “Nowadays there is a modern trend for set-piece coaches and we want to try to be good.
“We want people who want to head the ball; Craig Dawson was good last year, Kurt Zouma is good, Ogbonna got his goal. We have one or two who can head it."
West Ham moved up to seventh with 14 points, the same as Everton.
Benitez, a former Liverpool manager, was unhappy with Michail Antonio’s challenge on goalkeeper Jordan Pickford which led to the corner and ultimately resulted in the winning goal.
“I have a problem because I am from Spain and normally in Europe, the six-yard box is to protect the 'keeper,” Benitez said.
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