Nuno Espirito Santo plans to keep his messaging simple after battling back for a 1-1 draw away at Everton in his first match with West Ham.

Michael Keane piled further set-piece misery on West Ham after 18 minutes into Monday's clash, though Jarrod Bowen salvaged a point with a second-half leveller at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Nuno will know there is a need for improvement after West Ham conceded their eighth goal from corners in this season's Premier League, matching the total they allowed in the entire 2024-25 campaign.

The Portuguese boss, who was only appointed on Saturday after being dismissed by Nottingham Forest earlier this month, wants to focus on the basics before further implementing his tactics.

"We have to build on that. Now it is about keeping it simple and trying to give the boys a good identity," said Nuno, who came in to replace Graham Potter after his sacking last week.

"We will get there in terms of identity and character, but now it's keeping it simple. The clear message was how we have to approach the game.

"It is a tough place to come and Everton are a good team in a good moment."

It’s the joint-earliest into a season a manager has taken charge of two different teams in the Premier League, along with Graeme Souness in 2004-05 (Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United).

His replacement at Forest, Ange Postecoglou, has endured a tough start to his tenure, but Nuno is just pleased to be back into football so soon after his exit at the City Ground.

"It's nice, it's what we live for: to compete," he added. "We did a lot of good things. We compete well, but there is a lot of work to be done.

"We started the second half on the front foot, the desire was there. We had a couple of chances, Everton also but I think overall the second half was good."

Bowen proved West Ham's hero once again, capitalising on fine work from El Hadji Malick Diouf before slamming a curling effort that deflected off Keane and past Jordan Pickford in the 65th minute.

The West Ham captain has now been involved in 11 goals in his last 12 Premier League games (eight goals, three assists), despite his side's struggles this season.

"We've got a really good group here that really want to work hard and change our fortunes, and I think you saw that tonight," Bowen said on Sky Sports.

"We've had Nuno for two days, and I thought we put in a really good performance, so it's about time.

"It's about putting the work in and listening to the new gaffer, and we've got a group that wants to work and wants to do well, so we're heading in the right direction."

Bowen also became the first visiting player to score a Premier League goal at Everton's new Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The England international could have had a second strike, if not for a fine James Tarkowski block, while Crysencio Summerville went close after a Jake O'Brien mistake before West Ham's equaliser. 

"Just try and get in the box when it falls," Bowen said of his fine scoring run. "When I get in the box, I know what I'm going to do before the defenders do.

"It's just about hitting it towards the goal, and tonight it went in for me, so really happy with that."