West Ham survive late Palace surge to boost top-four bid

West Ham started 2022 firmly in the top-four race as first-half goals gave them a 3-2 win at Crystal Palace in the Premier League, despite a late rally from the hosts.

With Arsenal losing 2-1 against Man City earlier on New Year’s Day, West Ham are just a point off fourth spot, with struggling Norwich and then Leeds up next at home in the Premier League, but this was anything but simple.

Fresh from their first win in five at Watford in midweek, West Ham scored three unanswered goals in the first half. Michail Antonio opened the scoring, touching Said Benrahma’s wicked delivery home (22), before Manuel Lanzini’s cute touch and deadly finish on the volley from the edge made it 2-0 (25).

Lanzini tucked away a penalty late in the half after Luka Milivojevic handled just inside the box as he went to control the ball unopposed (45+5), a decision which infuriated Palace. But their manager Patrick Vieira, who escorted the officials down the tunnel at the whistle, did admit after the game: “It was a penalty.”

The scoreline at half-time was misleading – Palace struck the woodwork twice and had several chances – but they got the goals they feel their play deserved late on as Odsonne Edouard touched past Lukasz Fabianski from sub Michael Olise’s brilliant cross (83).

Olise’s free-kick cross then found the net through bodies in the box in the 90th minute, and despite a nervy finish as Jean-Philippe Mateta’s overhead kick fell just wide, West Ham held on for three points.

This result means West Ham have claimed their first back-to-back victories since early November in the Premier League, while Palace stay 11th.

How West Ham held on in NYD thriller

In a first half full of goalmouth action, Palace started brightly, hitting the post through Jeffrey Schlupp’s hooked effort from six yards out.

Vicente Guaita then produced a sensational double save to first deny Antonio’s poke from close range, then Benrahma’s return header while the Spaniard was on the floor. But he couldn’t keep West Ham out for long as the visitors flattened Palace with a quickfire double.

Benrahma’s delivery from the left was impossible for Palace’s defenders, and needed only the faintest of touchest from Antonio to beat Guaita for the opener, only Antonio’s second goal in nine appearances, but his 11th of the season so far.

West Ham had their tails up and scored again two minutes later; the dominant Declan Rice drove through midfield, spotted a gap that Lanzini occupied, and having turned inside Joachim Andersen, the ball jumped up perfectly for Lanzini to lash a brilliant volley past Guaita.

Palace had their chances – Edouard lashed an effort against the crossbar and Christian Benteke saw two half chances saved by Fabianski – but the hosts only had themselves to blame in the final moments of first-half stoppage time.

In looking to control the ball, Milivojevic instinctively handballed just inside the box, with VAR intervening and advising Darren England to check the pitchside screen. England gave the spot-kick, and Lanzini tucked it into the bottom left corner for 3-0.

The second half was initially far less eventful. Edouard stretched to receive Jordan Ayew’s ball across the face of goal, but could only turn over, and though Vieira brought on Mateta to bolster the attack, things weren’t falling Palace’s way until it was too late.

Antonio flashed a snap-shot wide for West Ham, Edouard pulled a good chance wide from Mateta’s lay-up, but Edouard did finally get his goal, touching home Olise’s fantastic, curled delivery from the right with seven minutes remaining.

Palace kept pushing and had West Ham nerves jangling in stoppage time – Olise’s cross from a free-kick somehow found the far corner through the crowd in the box for 3-2 – before Mateta’s overhead kick in the last minute of stoppage time fell inches wide of Fabianski’s right-hand post.

Few could have begrudged Palace a point despite the first-half deficit, registering 62 per cent possession and 22 shots to West Ham’s 10, but the Hammers held on for a vital win having scored nine goals in their last three games.

What’s next?

Crystal Palace head to Championship Millwall in the FA Cup third round next Saturday; kick-off at 12.45pm.

West Ham’s third-round game sees them hosting Leeds on Sunday, January 9; kick-off at 2pm.

West Ham survive late Palace surge to boost top-four bid
Source: Healthy Lifestyle

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