Crystal Palace 2-3 West Ham: Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini on target for Hammers
West Ham United survived a late fightback by Crystal Palace to start the new year with a narrow Premier League victory at Selhurst Park.
The three points move David Moyes’ side back up to fifth in the table above Tottenham Hotspur, who had claimed an added-time winner at Watford earlier on Saturday.
The Hammers were aided by wasteful finishing from the home side and were clinical in front of goal themselves as they netted three times in the first half.
Palace winger Jeffrey Schlupp swivelled and struck the post from a promising position after just 46 seconds and Odsonne Edouard rattled the crossbar with a first-time effort.
But in between West Ham capitalised on Palace’s profligacy as Michail Antonio slid in to convert Said Benrahma’s delightful cross midway through the half.
The visitors doubled their lead within three minutes courtesy of Manuel Lanzini’s neat footwork and thumping finish.
On the stroke of half time, referee Darren England awarded a penalty against Palace skipper Luka Milivojevic for handball after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor, and Lanzini confidently converted it.
The hosts pulled a goal back seven minutes from time when Edouard poked home Michael Olise’s cross and the substitute then also curled a late free-kick in for Palace’s second – but they could not find a dramatic equaliser.
Patrick Vieira missed his side’s last two games as he isolated after testing positive for Covid-19 so it was a miserable first 45 minutes back in the dugout for the Palace boss as his team conceded three first-half goals.
The Frenchman has guided his new club to a solid first half of the season but will be unhappy with the manner in which they lost their second home game of the campaign.
No defender tracked Antonio’s run for the first goal and his midfield failed to match a burst forward by Declan Rice – on his 150th Premier League appearance – to set up the second while skipper Milivojevic was culpable for the third.
The victory was West Ham boss Moyes’ 10th on 1 January, equalling the record held by managerial legends Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.
The Hammers also emulated the feat of securing 10 victories from their opening 20 games last season, when they eventually finished sixth, and they are again challenging for a Champions League spot.
