LONDON - Ayegbeni Yakubu continued his hot goal-scoring streak as Everton beat West Ham for the second time in four days.
The £11.25million Nigerian pounced for his fifth goal in three matches - and 11th of the season - shortly before half-time as Everton sealed an east London double.
On Wednesday night, Yakubu capitalised on a defensive mix-up to book Everton a place in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup.
On Saturday, he took advantage of some slack marking and latched onto Tim Cahill's knock-down to extend Everton's unbeaten run to 12 matches in all competitions.
Andrew Johnson scored in the last minute as West Ham chased the game and the three points moved the Toffees level with Liverpool, who face Manchester United on Sunday.
West Ham, out-hustled on Wednesday night, suffered the same fate today as Everton got their reward for being hungrier off the ball and sharper on it.
There was no place in the side for the unwell Danny Gabbidon, whose mix-up had gifted victory to the Toffees in midweek, and Nolberto Solano returned from being cup-tied.
West Ham forced the first corner of the afternoon and Solano, whose quality at dead-ball situation was badly missed on Wednesday, tested Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard who did well to deflect the ball clear.
Leon Osman linked well with Steve Pienaar but was squeezed out by the West Ham defence as ran into the box before volleying an effort wide after Mikel Arteta's neat lay off.
Freddie Ljungberg drilled a low ball into the box which ran through to Solano and then Lucas Neill at the far post, but the West Ham captain could not capitalise.
Carlton Cole then worked half a yard of space down the right to whip a cross in towards Dean Ashton, who was gearing up for a near-post volley when Joseph Yobo made a timely interception.
Solano was making a difference to West Ham's creative play and after a neat combination with Hayden Mullins and Scott Parker, the ball broke for Ljungberg whose first-time shot from 12 yards was well held at the second attempt by Tim Howard.
Parker's determination and bravery fashioned West Ham's best chance of the half as he dived in to head the ball off Cahill's toe.
Parker got a bloody nose for his trouble as the ball fell to Solano who lofted an inch-perfect ball into the box. Ashton got there ahead of Yobo but his deft volley over Howard's head drifted inches wide.
Everton began to dictate the pace and worked a neat opening down the left for the overlapping Joleon Lescott but Hammers goalkeeper Robert Green dealt comfortably with the England defender's poor low cross.
Yakubu left James Collins for dust down the left wing but once again Green was able to mop up.
Collins then wasted a gift for West Ham after a corner dropped to him unmarked seven yards out but the Wales international defender sliced his volley.
Osman fired over from the edge of the West Ham box but the opening came for for Everton three minutes before the interval.
Mikel Arteta picked out Cahill in the Hammers box, the Australian beat Matthew Upson in the air and Yakubu was unmarked to poke his shot past Green.
Parker tried to inject some urgency into the West Ham midfield after the interval with a charging run upfield but Everton were showed more urgency.
Green did well to punch clear under pressure and Lee Carsley then saw his 25-yard drive deflected wide for a corner.
Alan Curbishley then replaced Solano with Mark Noble as West Ham effectively switched to 4-3-3 with Ljungberg pushing forward to join Ashton and half-time arrival Henri Camara.
Noble bustled his way into the Everton box but there was still no end product from West Ham who could not break down the Toffees' high-pressure defence.
Green dived at Yakubu's feet to push the ball clear but West Ham continued to invite pressure on themselves as they repeatedly failed to keep posession.
Everton wasted a golden opportunity to seal the game when Osman waltzed onto a long ball from Arteta and blasted his shot high and wide with only Green to beat.
Green was stretched by a header from Yakubu and then tipped another long-range drive from Carsley over the bar.
Pienaar and Yakubu linked on the edge of the area to tee up another shooting opportunity for Osman, who again fired over the bar.
West Ham were trying to force things but their final ball was woeful and as they threw everything forward, Everton stung them on the break.
Phil Neville lumped a long ball forward and Johnson lofted his shot over the retreating Green.
