LIVERPOOL, England — Romelu Lukaku headed in his 19th goal of the Premier League season on Saturday as Everton beat West Bromwich Albion 3-0 to strengthen its bid to qualify for Europe.
After first-half strikes from Kevin Mirallas and Morgan Schneiderlin, Lukaku met Ross Barkley’s cross in the 82nd minute for his seventh goal in his last five matches. The Belgium striker joins Tottenham forward Harry Kane at the top of the league’s scoring leaderboard.
With a fifth successive league home win, Everton moved five points behind Liverpool, which is in the fourth Champions League place. Everton has played an extra game.
A place in the Europa League appears more attainable in Ronald Koeman’s first season in charge, with seventh place set to secure qualification. Everton is in seventh and seven points ahead of eighth-placed West Brom.
Watch match highlights: Everton 3, West Bromwich Albion 0 || Bournemouth 3, West Ham United 2 || Hull City 2, Swansea 1 ||
Everton has not dropped a point at Goodison Park since a loss to Liverpool in December.
Lukaku played a key role in the opener against West Brom. Lukaku drifted out to the right and saw his pass inside ricochet off a couple of defenders. The ball fell to Ross Barkley, whose shot was parried by goalkeeper Ben Foster and Mirallas reacted quickest to find the net.
The second goal at the midway point stemmed from Lukaku’s inkling to come out to the right. This time he turned inside, fended off Jonny Evans and slipped the ball through to Schneiderlin, who took a touch beyond Jake Livermore before clipping beyond Foster. It was Schneiderlin’s first goal since leaving Manchester United for Everton in January.
It took until the 82nd minute for Lukaku to add to his goal haul against one of the clubs he was sent out on loan to during his three-year Chelsea career.
Now thriving at Everton, Lukaku has a career-high 19 league goals in a single season — a total that looks set to climb with two months remaining.
King gets 3 as Cherries beat West Ham to end 2017 drought
BOURNEMOUTH, England — Bournemouth won for the first time this year in the English Premier League, beating West Ham 3-2 on Saturday despite failing to convert two penalties.
Joshua King scored a hat trick to lift his tally to eight goals in his last seven games.
Bournemouth scored all seven of its previous spot-kicks this season but failed on two in a half-hour.
It didn’t matter as King hit a last-minute winner to complete his treble — cancelling out strikes from Michail Antonio and substitute Andre Ayew for mid-table West Ham — as Bournemouth secured its first success of the year at the ninth attempt.
The Cherries were gifted the chance to take the lead after only eight minutes when Sofiane Feghouli needlessly hauled down Charlie Daniels in the area. King side-footed his penalty horribly wide.
Jose Fonte then gave away the softest of penalties when sticking out a leg as Marc Pugh darted past him.
This time Benik Afobe stepped up, only to roll his effort into the arms of the diving Darren Randolph.
Bournemouth is 14th, six points clear of the relegation zone.
Niasse boosts Hull survival bid by clinching win vs Swansea
HULL, England — Oumar Niasse stepped off the bench to score twice to give Hull a 2-1 victory over Premier League relegation rival Swansea on Saturday.
Hull was struggling when manager Marco Silva produced a masterstroke by sending on Niasse just after the hour mark — and the striker responded with two goals inside 10 minutes.
Alfie Mawson headed home in stoppage time for Swansea, but Silva’s side held on to clinch its third league win under the Portuguese coach and climb to within one point of safety with 10 games remaining. Swansea is only three points in front of Hull.
Niasse, who is on loan from Everton, was sent onto the field to replace the ineffective Alfred N’Diaye and he netted his first in the 69th minute.
Marauding right back Omar Elabdellaoui broke clear and passed to Abel Hernandez, who flicked the ball on first time for Niasse to run on and steer a low shot beyond goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
Gylfi Sigurdsson fired off target as Swansea tried to respond, but the south Wales visitors found themselves 2-0 down in the 78th minute.
Ahmed Elmohamady helped the ball on to Niasse in the penalty area and the Senegalese lashed home a bouncing ball.
Niasse pulled another effort wide when he appeared set for his hat trick before Mawson ensured a nervous finish for Hull by heading in Sigurdsson’s cross. It was the Iceland midfielder’s league-high 11th assist of the season.
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