European hopes for Everton and West Ham

Everton beat Wolverhampton 1-0 in the Premier League on Wednesday to end a five-game winless run at home and keep its slim hopes of European qualification alive.

Richarlison’s 48th-minute header proved the winner and gave 6,500 returning fans something to cheer about at Goodison Park.

Coupled with Tottenham’s home loss to Aston Villa, the win keeps Everton in the mix for Europa League qualification, although a far inferior goal difference and a final-day trip to Manchester City still leaves Carlo Ancelotti’s team as the outsider.

Everton began the night with only five home wins all season, two of those coming in December when 2,000 fans were allowed in for back-to-back wins over Arsenal and Chelsea. The returning supporters helped the team complete a first league double over Wolves in 45 years.

They did it despite the absence of James Rodriguez, who is yet to play in front of a Goodison crowd as he was absent due to what manager Carlo Ancelotti said was fatigue.Richarlison made the breakthrough at a corner, rising above Willy Boly to head in Gylfi Sigurdsson’s out-swinging delivery.

Everton’s best chances for a second came through Sigurdsson, who twice went close from the edge of the area, bending one shot agonizingly wide from the edge of the area before another was deflected wide.

West Ham stayed on course for a Europa League spot with a 3-1 win over already relegated West Bromwich Albion, whose manager Sam Allardyce announced after Wednesday’s game that he would step down.

Allardyce said he turned down an offer from the club to remain in charge of the club for their return to the Championship.

In a statement released shortly after the loss, Allardyce said: “West Bromwich Albion made me a generous offer to stay at The Hawthorns that shows the commitment of an ambitious club. After serious consideration I have decided not to accept that offer.”

Allardyce was hired in December with the club in 19th place, but couldn’t avoid having his team relegated from the Premier League for the first tim in his managerial career.

David Moyes’ West Ham, meanwhile, goes into the final game of the season against Southampton knowing a point will confirm a Europa League spot after coming from behind at The Hawthorns. West Brom took the lead after West Ham’s Declan Rice missed a third-minute penalty and Tomas Soucek scored an own goal.

Soucek leveled before the break, with Angelo Ogbonna and Michail Antonio scoring late to secure the win.

West Ham is in sixth place, three points ahead of Tottenham and Everton, following a remarkable turnaround after they finished 16th and survived by five points last season.