West Ham V Everton at Boleyn Ground: LIVE

07 November 2015 09:29
West Ham V Everton - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.

Slaven Bilic hoping Hammers can halt Romelu Lukaku threat

Slaven Bilic knows West Ham must end Romelu Lukaku's amazing goalscoring streak against them if they are to break their Everton hoodoo.

The Hammers have beaten Everton just once in their last 17 meetings, and that victory came on penalties following a 2-2 draw in the FA Cup last season.

Pivotal to the Toffees' most recent successes against West Ham has been Lukaku, who has scored in each of the last six meetings between the teams.

Yet Bilic's side have already ended one Merseyside curse this season when they won at Liverpool for the first time in 50 years.

And the Upton Park boss believes they can halt their drought against Everton - as long as they keep the Belgium striker quiet.

"That is more important than 17 games," said Bilic. "He's scored in six games out of six against us. But that only proves how good he is as a player.

"They have some great players with experience, legs, width, pace, imagination - the likes of Ross Barkley.

"But if you have to take one player out, then I wouldn't like to play against Lukaku because he is a top striker and gets assists, and that's why they paid 30-odd million for him.

"But we have great defenders and we've already stopped some of the great names this season with the help of the other guys in front of them.

"I didn't know it was that long since we beat them the last time, but that only shows what we are facing; a big club with the mentality of a club that has had its ups and down over the years."

Saturday's clash is a meeting between Bilic's two former clubs in England. The Croatian defender joined Everton from the Hammers for B#4.5million in 1997 and played under the late Howard Kendall at Goodison.

Bilic will be without striker Diafra Sakho (thigh) although defenders Winston Reid (knee) and Angelo Ogbonna (hamstring) are fit after spells out, with one of them set to replace the suspended James Collins at centre-back.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez has tipped the Irons to maintain their fine early-season form and contend for a top-five finish.

"The biggest strength of this West Ham side is they play with an incredible belief and confidence," Martinez said.

"The results that they have had, especially this season, they start on the psychological aspect of having the belief that you can beat those sides. To get those results, away from home, it's very impressive.

"You have new players, a new manager coming in having them playing a very different way, it's going to be a terrific challenge.

"You look at the amount of points they have already - clearly they are a team that are going to be challenging to finish in the top five positions in the league. It's how impressive they've been.

"We're going to make sure that we are ready to face them. In my eyes, with Leicester, they've been the most impressive side this season."

Bryan Oviedo will miss the trip with a hamstring strain while England international Leighton Baines' return from an ankle injury will come in a behind-closed-doors friendly during the international break.

Source: PAR