- Five Hammers were in loan action over the weekend
- Though Enner Valencia suffered defeat for Everton, three in action in the Football League tasted victory
- Martin Samuelsen was on the scoresheet for Peterborough United in his second loan spell at London Road
Only Enner Valencia – one of four loanee Hammers to feature in the top four leagues during the weekend – did not taste victory as his Everton outfit were beaten in the Merseyside derby.
Having been beaten by the Reds back in December last year, the Toffees were looking for revenge when they made the short journey across Stanley Park to Anfield, but once again left empty handed.
Sadio Mane gave the hosts an eighth-minute lead, and though Matthew Pennington levelled things just before the half hour mark, Philippe Coutinho curled home brilliantly to put Jurgen Klopp’s men back in front.
Divock Origi then gave Liverpool a two-goal buffer, and though Ronald Koeman introduced Valencia in an attempt to get back into the game, it was to no avail.
There was more joy for those in action in the Football League, however. Reece Oxford, who has now come on as a substitute in promotion chasing Reading’s last three games, played 20 minutes for the Royals as they beat Leeds United 1-0.
Yann Kermorgant scored the game’s only goal, firing in spectacularly from just inside the area, and Jaap Stam’s side held onto the advantage to leapfrog their opponents into fourth place in the Championship.
In League One, Martin Samuelsen scored his first goal of a second loan spell at Peterborough United, heading in Posh’s first against struggling Charlton Athletic at London Road.
The Norwegian winger, introduced just a minute before, was in the right place at the right time to nod home unmarked and score his third senior goal in English football in the 74th minute.
Marcus Maddison went on to seal the victory over the Addicks with a superb second.
Josh Cullen’s Bradford City took on George Dobson’s Walsall, though the latter, an unused substitute, was not given the opportunity to change the game as the Bantams ran out 1-0 winners.
Billy Clarke’s 58th-minute strike was enough to see off their Midlands opponents, and Cullen and co. now look set for a top-six finish in England’s third tier.
Newport County kept their slim safety hopes alive with a 1-0 win over Crawley Town, though Jaanai Gordon was also left on the substitutes’ bench.
Defender Mickey Demetriou scored the game’s only goal as both sides ended the match with ten men following a clash six minutes into the second period.
Finally, Sam Howes was in action for Hampton and Richmond Borough in the National League South, but Chelmsford City were 2-0 winners at the Beavers’ ground.