West Ham United v Crystal Palace: Premier League match preview
A look ahead to this weekend's fixture at Upton Park
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Your support makes all the difference.Both of these sides should be assured of safety – in fact, if results go their way they could both be by the end of the weekend – but that is unlikely to mean that this game loses any of its intensity. Neither Tony Pulis nor Sam Allardyce are the kind of managers to take a backward step, and a London derby at Upton Park is likely to see the crowd fired up.
Palace are on a remarkable run of four wins in a row, including victories against Everton and Chelsea, and look certain to avoid promotion from the Premier League for the first time in their history.
West Ham meanwhile, have lost twice in a row, but put in decent performances against Arsenal and Liverpool in the process, and with 40 points in sight, will hope for the win that mathematically seals their safety against their London rivals.
KICK-OFF: Saturday, 3pm
PAST THREE MEETINGS…
Crystal Palace 1 (Chamakh) West Ham 0, Premier League, Deember 2013
West Ham 0 Crystal Palace 0, Championship, February 2012
Crystal Palace 2 (Ambrose, Murray) West Ham 2 (Nolan, Carew), Championship, October 2011
STATS…
Crystal Palace’s four wins in a row is their best run in the top flight since 1992
10 of Crystal Palace’s 12 victories this season have come under Tony Pulis
Since Tony Pulis took over at Selhurst Park, only Chelsea have a better defensive record in the Premier League
Three of the last four meetings between these two sides have finished 1-0 to Palace
West Ham have won four of their last six home games
It is eight games since West Ham have kept a clean sheet – before that they kept four in a row.
ODDS…
West Ham to win: 2.15
Crystal Palace to win: 3.4
Draw: 3.25
CLASSIC MATCH – 2003/04 Playoff final Crystal Palace 1-0 West Ham
Palace captain Neil Shipperly scrambled home the only goal to send his team back to the Premier League, in a season where they had been in the relegation zone as late as December. Keeper Nico Vaesen played brilliantly to keep out the Hammers before Shipperly struck from close range on the hour to put Palace back in the top flight.
TV: Highlights on BBC1 at 10.30pm
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