David Moyes invades pitch as Idrissa Gueye invites…

David Moyes invades pitch as Idrissa Gueye invites Everton cult hero back to Goodison Park

Everton defeated West Ham United 1-0 at Goodison Park on Sunday to secure their first Premier League win of the season. Here are five things we spotted from the game that you might have missed.

Onana phoning it in

Nobody could accuse Amadou Onana of ‘phoning in his performance’ after another all-action display against the team Everton beat to the punch to make him their biggest signing of the summer but the midfielder celebrated the Blues’ maiden three points of the campaign by filming himself on a smartphone that had found its way onto the Goodison Park pitch after the final whistle.

At just 21, the Belgian international like most his age, was both au fait with the technology and game to join in the fun by filming himself celebrating before joining in with the fans in the Lower Gwladys Street and then safely returning the device to its owner who subsequently shared it with a global audience online.

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Mykolenko’s jacket gesture

Because of the acts of remembrance for the late Queen, with a minute’s silence followed by the playing of the National Anthem, the formalities before kick-off went on for longer than usual and unlike last month’s fixtures which were played in record-breaking summer heat at times, the chill of autumn was very much in the air at Goodison Park on Sunday.

These factors combined to leave one of Everton’s young mascots shivering as she stood to attention but a kind and quick-thinking Vitalii Mykolenko quickly came to her aid to remove his pre-match jacket and place it on her shoulders to help keep her warm.

Moyes back on his old stomping ground

After previously spending over 11 years as Everton manager, West Ham boss David Moyes – who enjoyed pre-match chats with the likes of chairman Bill Kenwright and kit manager Jimmy Martin – couldn’t resist encroaching upon Goodison Park’s hallowed turf on his latest return.

The Scot was just 38 when appointed Blues boss back in 2002 but despite his once flame red hair having now turned to grey and his 60 ^th birthday on the way before the season is out, he displayed an impressive turn of pace to leave his technical area and pass the ball to James Tarkowski who was taking his time as the hosts protected their lead in the latter stages of the contest.

Lampard’s quick change

As mentioned already, along with all Premier League venues where fixtures were played over the weekend, Goodison Park paid tribute to Britain’s longest-reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth II on the day before her funeral and the teams took to the pitch without the strains of Everton’s iconic usual run-out tune ‘Z-Cars’ while both managers, each carrying floral wreaths of remembrance for her late Majesty were duly suited and booted for the occasion. Nobody could ever accuse Frank Lampard of showing a lack of respect and the Blues boss also paid a personal tribute to the Queen and Royal Family in his programme notes but for the game itself there was a quick change for the 44-year-old as he replaced his dress shoes with Nike trainers and removed his tie.

Niasse return

While he was never one of Everton’s greats, there’s still a lot of love at Goodison Park for the club’s ex-striker Oumar Niasse whose struggles against adversity – including Ronald Koeman denying him a locker – made him something of a cult hero in the eyes of some Blues fans and Roberto Martinez’s £13.5million buy was back on Merseyside to watch his former team in action. Without a club since scoring three times in a dozen appearances for League One Burton Albion last season, the 32-year-old enjoyed the game alongside the family of Senegalese compatriot Idrissa Gueye as the midfielder made his first start in his second stint at Everton.

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