Harry wild about Sinclair's debut

It was a shame Gary Speed did not bother to turn up at Upton Park. Had the Everton midfielder done so he might have learnt from Trevor Sinclair the secret to succeeding as a striker.

While Speed's industrial action has merely alienated the club and its supporters, Sinclair demonstrated how to achieve harmonious relations with his employees by scoring twice on his debut for West Ham.

"He was absolutely fantastic," said West Ham's manager Harry Redknapp. "Every time we went to QPR he tore us to pieces and it was nice to have him playing for us today."

Not that Sinclair was faced with a fiercely picketed defence. Everton's marking at a corner in the 10th minute was so slack that the 24-yearold could comfortably have settled a minor industrial dispute before heading in.

His second goal, after Duncan Ferguson had created an equaliser for Nick Barmby, was a reminder of the talent which faded in the First Division. Accelerating past two defenders, he exchanged passes with Eyal Berkovic before scoring with a low shot.

The difficulty for Redknapp may be accommodating his £2 million signing. Paul Kitson and Samassi Abou are committed to the cause when not injured or suspended and West Ham prefer wing-backs to wingers.

"I'm not sure where I'll play him," Redknapp admitted. "I bought him because at that sort of money we had to have him. He's had a spell where he's gone a bit stale but you saw today with his pace and strength and ability that it's all there."

Speed shares those attributes but was not. Less than a fortnight after proclaiming himself "very proud" to captain the club he supported as a boy, he has demanded a transfer. Newcastle are interested; Howard Kendall is not.

"Hopefully it will settle down because I've no intention of losing Gary," said Everton's manager. "I read that someone told him he had been stripped of the captaincy and would not be selected so he felt it was not necessary to travel. That's disappointing; he was in the squad and was due to be travelling.

"Naturally the players are disappointed that he's taken this course of action. The supporters are also upset and rightly so but I hope they can forgive him if and when he puts on the shirt again."

Speed was scarcely missed on Saturday as Everton became the first team since September to leave Upton Park with a point. When Rio Ferdinand, who had a torrid afternoon, failed to clear a cross Mikael Madar volleyed a second equaliser from close range.

West Ham United: Forrest, Breacker, Pearce, Ferdinand, Lomas, Lazaridis, Lampard, Berkovic, Potts, Sinclair (Hodges 85), Hartson. Subs Not Used: Sealey, Bishop, Mean, Coyne. Goals: Sinclair 10, 48.

Everton: Myhre, O'Kane (Allen 69), Ward, Ball, Watson, Bilic, Grant, Farrelly, Barmby, Ferguson, Madar (Cadamarteri 80). Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Dunne, Oster. Booked: Farrelly, O'Kane. Goals: Barmby 25, Madar 60.

Referee: M D Reed (Birmingham).