West Bromwich Albion 0-1 Everton | Premier League match report

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<div class="track"><img alt="" src="http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.22.4/91782?ns=guardian&pageName=West+Bromwich+Albion+0-1+Everton+%7C+Premier+League+match+report%3AArticle%3A1682738&ch=Football&c3=Guardian&c4=Premier+League+2011-12%2CWest+Brom+%28Football%29%2CEverton+%28Football%29%2CPremier+League+%28Football%29%2CFootball&c5=Unclassified%2CEuropa+League%2CPremier+League&c6=David+Charles+at+The+Hawthorns&c7=12-Jan-01&c8=1682738&c9=Article&c10=Match+report&c11=Football&c13=&c25=&c30=content&h2=GU%2FFootball%2FPremier+League+2011-12" width="1" height="1" /></div><p>David Moyes will again be looking on with envy during the January sales so the impact of Victor Anichebe was as timely as it was crucial for the Everton manager.</p><p>Moyes can again expect to be restricted in the transfer market due to tight purse strings, so the return of Anichebe after four months' absence with a serious groin injury will at least provide the Scot with some optimism.</p><p>Anichebe, a Nigeria international, will wave goodbye to 2011 without a moment's hesitation and the portents are promising for the forward after his late goal settled a moribund encounter. The 23-year-old was making only his third appearance of the season but he pounced late on to condemn Roy Hodgson to his sixth home defeat of the season, providing the West Bromwich Albion manager with a harsh reminder that he may still have a relegation battle on his hands.</p><p>As Albion's players had left the field on Boxing Day to rapturous applause after an admirably spirited <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/dec/26/west-bromwich-albion-manchester-city-premier-league" title="">goalless draw with Manchester City</a>, this was a bitter pill to swallow for Hodgson and it highlighted the need to recruit reinforcements in this month's transfer window.</p><p>For Everton, however, the prospect of yet another strong second half to a season looks promising, especially if Anichebe can steer clear of the injuries that have held him back in his six seasons at Goodison Park. "Victor has had no games [before this comeback] and I've not even been able to play him in the reserves, but he's someone we've missed," Moyes said.</p><p>"He's got a lot of potential if we get the opportunity to unwrap it. I don't think Victor is the striker that can get us loads of goals but he's a good all-round forward player and has a lot of real good attributes which are really important in the Premier League. The goal and the reaction from the supporters will help him. He's got us a victory from a game that was a stalemate at times, but I don't think people will buy the DVD of this one.</p><p>"People are always talking about how we finish the season strongly, but there'scertainly no guarantees that it happens. We've had to grind it out here, and over the years that's what we've done at Everton."</p><p>It was Anichebe's first league goal since March 2010 but striking instincts appear to be deserting Hodgson's players at The Hawthorns. Albion are the lowest scorers at home in the division with only seven goals, and they never looked like adding to that embarrassing tally in this soporific encounter.</p><p>The first half was dreadful. Ben Foster, the Albion goalkeeper, almost shattered the tedium when he spilled a hooked cross by Louis Saha but then recovered impressively to repel Jack Rodwell's effort from close range. The referee Stuart Attwell, making his first appearance since a much scrutinised performance at the Emirates in Arsenal's draw with Wolves, cannot have envisaged such a stress-free afternoon where he had so little to officiate.</p><p>The second period was only marginally better. Peter Odemwingie slashed a shot wildly over the bar just a minute in, and Chris Brunt and Paul Scharner both tried to test Tim Howard from distance.</p><p>Everton made three substitutions in a bid to regain superiority and one of them, Magaye Gueye, forced a save from Foster with a powerfully struck volley. But Anichebe punished dithering defending from Scharner three minutes from time to earn Everton a fourth away win of the season.</p><p>Hodgson is not expected to receive substantial funds this month – with only a couple of loan signings expected – but he made it abundantly clear that he feels reinforcements are needed.</p><p>"I'd like to think we've got to the stage where the type of players who would help us would cost money and demand high wages," he said. "I'm not certain at the moment that's the way we are looking to go forward. If we are going to have a good season we need some help, but we want to get players in who are better that what we've got.</p><p>"We've shot ourselves in the foot today and we are going to be in the same type of battle to avoid losing our spot in the league as a lot of other teams."</p><div class="related" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><ul><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/premier-league-2011-12">Premier League 2011-12</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/westbrom">West Brom</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/everton">Everton</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/premierleague">Premier League</a></li></ul></div><br/><div class="terms"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk">guardian.co.uk</a> &copy; 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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