Everton 2-1 West Ham United

Leon Osman has scored two in his last three games after failing to net in his previous 17 Everton outings

• Osman, 33, scores on 400th Everton appearance

• Everton unbeaten in 13 league matches against West Ham

• Lukaku scores fifth goal of the season

• Carroll subdued on first West Ham start of season

Leon Osman marked his 400th Everton appearance with the winning goal in the Toffees' victory over West Ham United.

The 33-year-old midfielder slid in to convert Samuel Eto'o's low cross as Everton made it six matches unbeaten.

Romelu Lukaku's fifth goal of the season gave Everton the lead after Ross Barkley's blocked shot fell into his path.

Substitute Mauro Zarate had levelled for West Ham after his shot struck Phil Jagielka and looped over Tim Howard.

Osman's goal - his 55th for his club - proved decisive in a heated encounter as Everton made it 13 Premier League matches against the Hammers without defeat.

Sam Allardyce could point to the absence of five key players through injury, with top scorer Diafra Sakho joined on the sidelines by Enner Valencia, Stewart Downing, Alex Song and Cheikhou Kouyate.

Andy Carroll came in, and started brightly, releasing Carl Jenkinson with a crossfield pass and looping a header over from a Aaron Cresswell delivery.

However, it was Everton who opened the scoring midway through the first half after a slice of good fortune.

Barkley's shot deflected off Winston Reid and James Collins before the ball broke for Lukaku. The Belgian appeared to be offside but the flag stayed down as he fired his fifth goal of the season beyond goalkeeper Adrian.

James McCarthy was in the Everton XI, despite controversially pulling out of the Ireland squad for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland.

And the midfielder was at the centre of a heated exchange in the latter stages of the first half when his tackle on Morgan Amalfitano prompted an angry reaction from several West Ham players. McCarthy and Reid were booked for their part in a subsequent melee.

Allardyce, whose side were looking to make it six league matches unbeaten for the first time since 2009, brought on Matt Jarvis and Zarate in place of Carlton Cole and Mark Noble six minutes into the second half and it paid off within five minutes as the visitors levelled.

Zarate's shot from 25 yards took a big deflection off Jagielka and looped beyond Tim Howard in the Everton goal.

The tactical switch had given West Ham greater attacking threat but it also left them more vulnerable at the back.

And Everton took advantage, creating the winning goal with a swift counter attack.

Referee Mark Clattenburg allowed play on after Collins brought down Lukaku and it proved a good decision as Eto'o broke and delivered a low cross to pick out Osman sliding in at the back post.

Eto should have made it 3-1 in time added on but side-footed wide from Osman's low cross from the right.

Romelu Lukaku has scored in each of his last three Premier League games West Ham United

Lukaku has scored five goals since joining Everton on a permanent deal from Chelsea for £28m

Mauro Zarate's equaliser was his second goal for West Ham

West Ham striker Andy Carroll made his first start of the season after recovering from an ankle injury

James McCarthy, left, and Winston Reid were booked in a heated encounter at Goodison Park