Everton opened the scoring early on with a goal of uncommon quality, with both its creator and its finisher showing signs of improved confidence under Carlo Ancelotti. Calmly turning his way out of Manuel Lanzini's challenge on the halfway line, Michael Keane chipped a pass forward for Calvert-Lewin to meet on the edge of the area.

The centre-forward is in the form of his life at the moment but even so it was surprising to see the nonchalant ease with which he plucked the ball out of the air with one foot before clipping a half-volley past Darren Randolph with the other. Stylish football has hardly been a trademark of Everton teams in recent seasons, and it was a shame Goodison was empty for a goal that in normal circumstances would have brought the house down.

Watching James Rodríguez is a treat in itself, and after Lanzini saw a penalty appeal turned down at one end the Colombian almost slipped in Richarlison at the other, only for the Brazilian to be recalled by the tightest of offside decisions after sliding the ball under Randolph.

Séamus Coleman had to come off the bench before the interval after the unlucky Kenny caught his studs in the turf, before Lanzini sent a header wide after getting into a promising position to meet Aaron Cresswell's cross.

The visitors had only registered one attempt on target in the first half yet before the second period was a minute old they were back on terms. It was another impressive goal, this time from Robert Snodgrass, who called for the ball from Felipe Anderson and hit a curling left-foot shot beyond Jordan Pickford's dive from the edge of the area.

That livened up the contest quite considerably, with Calvert-Lewin shooting too high and Gylfi Sigurdsson bringing a save from Randolph before Richarlison restored Everton's lead just before the hour. Again it was a well struck shot from just outside the box, though it took a slight but significant deflection off Declan Rice to leave the goalkeeper little chance. It was Richarlison's last contribution before he too twisted an ankle in attempting a tackle and made way for Alex Iwobi.

West Ham might have equalised again when Snodgrass crossed for Andriy Yarmolenko, except that the header was so wide of the target it turned into a chance for Lanzini on the six-yard line, who only had Pickford to beat but put his shot the wrong side of a post. Incredibly Everton then saw Allan suffer a groin strain as he attempted to deal with a Rice break down the left.

With Rice marauding upfield West Ham put Everton under some pressure before the end and were unlucky not to score when Sébastien Haller's acrobatic overhead kick from an equally agile save from Pickford, but when Iwobi struck a post minutes rom time all Calvert-Lewin had to do was tap in the rebound, then the hat-trick was completed with a left-foot shot from Sigurdsson's prompt six minutes from time.