PREVIEW // HAMMERS MOTIVATED BY DESIRE FOR TOP HALF FINISH

It’s the final game of a hard-fought season for West Ham United, as ex-United boss Sam Allardyce brings Everton to London Stadium.

Following safety being secured away at Leicester, the 0-0 draw with Manchester United made it back-to-back clean sheets and another would help the Hammers in their hopes of a top-half finish.

Manager David Moyes believes that is a big incentive for his squad with an extra £14 million up for grabs if five results go their way.

“Finishing in the top half is a big incentive, but the biggest thing for me and the real job was to ensure we remained a Premier League club, and we’ve got that job done,” said Moyes.

As well as Allardyce facing his old club, Moyes comes up against the side where he spent 11 years and see’s it as a big day for him and the club.

“It’s definitely still special for me Everton has always been a big game, so it’ll be a big day, with Sam coming back here too, for both of us,” he said.

Full-back Aaron Cresswell is also aiming to end the season with a win, continuing their momentum to the end of the season.

“It’s the last game of the season but from our point of our view we’re not looking at it as the last step before a holiday,” said Cresswell.

“We haven’t been good at times this year but I think if we get three more points on Sunday then that could potentially push us up to tenth. We will stay positive and see what happens.”

The England left-back has more assists than any defender in the Premier League this season, seven, and scored against Manchester City two weeks ago.

As well as his offensive abilities, he’s been part of a defence that have kept consecutive clean sheets and wants to take the positives into tomorrow’s encounter.

“Taking the positives out the match with Manchester United, it was a clean-sheet and another point on the board,” he said.

“They’ve got some fantastic players throughout the whole squad and we kept them quietly mainly throughout the match, and now we want to finish on a high against Everton and hopefully get three points.”

Moyes could give forward Jordan Hugill a first start since joining from Preston in January, as Javier Hernandez is suffering from a knee injury.

Whilst, Pedro Obiang and James Collins are in contention after spells on the sidelines.

For the visitors, Wayne Rooney is missing through injury with a move to DC United in the offing. 

But Theo Walcott and Mason Holgate could return to action.

Everton come into the game on a five-match unbeaten run, they drew 0-0 at London Stadium last campaign.