Niclas Fullkrug came off the bench to net a well-placed winner as West Ham came from behind to beat Everton 2-1 in the Premier League Summer Series.

West Ham had the better of the play almost throughout against an Everton side still struggling with defensive absences, and eventually got their just reward for their possessional dominance.

The impact of a full pre-season under Graham Potter was evident from kick-off in Chicago with the Hammers determined to attempt to play through their opponents and often willing to take risks with their passes.

But the risk young defender Kaelan Casey took for Everton’s opener was purely one of a concentration lapse, as his square pass on the half-way line was pounced upon by Harrison Armstrong.

He raced through before freeing Idrissa Gana Gueye, whose low effort was cheaply let under his glove by Wes Foderingham.

That would not be the worst goalkeeping error of the half, as an innocuous diagonal skimmed the gloves of new Everton keeper Mark Travers as he came to punch and fell kindly for Lucas Paqueta to level.

West Ham made seven changes at the break and immediately stepped up their dominance, with Fullkrug firing home the winner with a placed finish from a tight angle 20 minutes into the second period.

Everton’s summer striking arrival Thierno Barry showed brief glimpses to give hope of a potential leveller but it never materialised, with a Charly Alcaraz header the closest the Toffees came to getting their first points of the Summer Series on the board.

More to follow…

Premier League Summer Series fixtures and schedule

Saturday July 26 – MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

Everton 0-3 Bournemouth
Man Utd 2-1 West Ham

Wednesday July 30 – Soldier Field, Chicago
West Ham 2-1 Everton

Thursday July 31 – Soldier Field, Chicago
Manchester United vs Bournemouth – 2.30am kick-off, live on Sky Sports

Sunday August 3 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Bournemouth vs West Ham – 7pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports
Manchester United vs Everton – 10pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports