Four points from their last two EPL games, including an unexpected draw at in-form Everton, have given West Ham timely breathing space at the bottom of the table.

The Hammers are now those four points clear of the bottom three. And although second-from-bottom Hull City have a game in hand, West Ham’s goal difference is some 22 goals superior, which will be worth an extra point to Gianfranco Zola’s men at the end of the season.

 

The Sardinian manager’s controversial decision to give his players three days off in the wake of their home defeat to Stoke three weeks ago paid off handsomely as West Ham came from behind twice, and overcame a saved penalty, to draw 2-2 at Goodison Park.

Going into the game on the back of six consecutive defeats, the Hammers’ confidence would have taken a hammer blow when they fell behind midway through the first half to an Everton side looking for their eighth consecutive Goodison win.

And another hammer blow arrived moments later when £1,000-per-week Egyptian striker Mido sadly justified his price tag by striking a poor penalty after Carlton Cole had crumpled in a heap under an innocuous challenge from Sylvan Distin in the area.

Inspired by midfield general Scott Parker, they deservedly drew level early in the second half through Manuel Da Costa only to fall behind again with six minutes left.

But Julien Faubert’s superb cross from deep was spectacularly headed home by Ilan two minutes later, for the goal of the match, to grab a point that was as unlikely as it was welcome.

Zola said afterwards: “At 2-1 it could have been a massive blow but we reacted brilliantly. It has been a great day (which) will give us a lot of confidence that will be very important for the next matches.

“We decided to fight until the end and today was a clear demonstration that we kept our promise.”

That confidence and fight stretched into last week’s vital home win over recently-improved Sunderland, a gritty battle which the Hammers may have lost earlier in the season.

Ilan was the goalscoring hero, poking home Cole’s flick-on six minutes after half-time, as West Ham overcame the loss of the influential Parker through suspension to grind out the result.

The Hammers will be without Parker again for Monday night’s trip to Anfield to face Liverpool.

Parker received a two-match ban after being booked against Everton. He will be available for the following Saturday’s visit of Wigan, a possibly pivotal match against the team one place and one point above them in the table.

There was mixed news on the long-term injury front this week. 21-year-old midfielder Jack Collison will miss the run-in and will have to undergo knee surgery in the summer.

But striker Luis Boa Morte, who has missed the whole season with a cruciate knee ligament injury, made his comeback for Hammers’ reserves on Tuesday evening, playing the first 45 minutes of a 4-1 defeat to a strong Wolves side.