Hammers Bring Down Palace

Crystal Palace enjoyed an unbeaten pre-season campaign which included a win over West Ham United. However, that form has not yet carried over into the Premier League season, as the Hammers won 2-0 at Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon.

Julen Lopetegui named the same starting line-up that took to the field last weekend against Aston Villa in the 2-1 home defeat. Edson Álvarez passed a late fitness test to be selected in the matchday squad.

The visitors made a bright start to the game and might have gone in front as early as the third minute but unfortunately, Tomáš Souček sent a header wide of the target from Jarrod Bowen’s corner. The Eagles almost responded up the other end just two minutes later, when Eberechi Eze’s shot took a deflection off Konstantinos Mavropanos and ended up on top of the net.

It was a tight encounter with plenty of chances for both teams and Mohammed Kudus was next to have a go for West Ham but unfortunately for those who had made the short trip across London, his attempt went narrowly wide. The pressure wasn’t over however, as Max Kilman also headed wide to put an end to that particular phase of play.

Visiting goalkeeper Alphonse Areola brilliantly denied Eze as he looked to put the home side ahead with fourteen minutes played.

The tables had turned by this point and Oliver Glasner’s side were giving the Irons something to think about. Odsonne Édouard only had Areola to beat but he sent his shot wide after Jean-Philippe Mateta had played him in.

The best chance of the half fell to the hosts with five minutes of play to go before the break. Adam Wharton set up Eze, who was given time and space to engineer a shot which crashed off the underside of the crossbar, meaning the East Londoners had survived a real scare.

Despite numerous chances being created, neither team could take advantage so when referee Robert Jones blew the whistle for the break, the game remained goalless.

Although Lopetegui’s side were the better of the two sides when the game started, they didn’t really offer a serious threat. That definitely changed when the action got back underway. Souček did well to earn a corner, before Vladimír Coufal blasted a left-footed shot over.

Just after the hour mark, Lopetegui withdrew the Czech defender, along with Michail Antonio and introduced both Niclas Füllkrug and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Wan-Bissaka was making his Hammers’ debut against his former club.

The former Eagle certainly made an impact just seven minutes later. A great team move which also involved Bowen, Lucas Paquetá and Füllkrug, eventually ended with Souček beating home goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

The home team were disappointed to be a goal down and Lopetegui’s men went further ahead five minutes later. Kilman sent a great ball out to Bowen who evaded the attentions of Eagles’ summer signing Chadi Riad, before sending a low shot past the former Manchester United stopper to bring loud cheers from the away end.

Six minutes later, the visitors made a third change as Álvarez took the place of Souček.

Even though they seemingly had a mountain to climb by this point, Glasner’s team kept going. Another new recruit Ismaïla Sarr helped set up Mateta but the Frenchman couldn’t finish off what was a golden opportunity. The former Watford man was involved again soon after when Tyrick Mitchell played the ball into his path but fortunately for the East Londoners, his powerful attempt hit the post.

The Hammers’ Head-Coach made use of his entire quote of substitutes as Aaron Cresswell entered the fray to make his 350th appearance for the club as he was brought on for Emerson Palmieri. The former Tranmere Rovers and Ipswich Town defender was swiftly followed by Jean-Clair Todibo, who was introduced for Kudus.

The win means that the Irons kept their first clean sheet since January 2 and they have another game coming up in just three days time, as AFC Bournemouth arrive in Stratford for an all Premier League tie in the second round of the Carabao Cup.