West Ham United started the new calendar year on Saturday with a hard-fought win at Crystal Palace. David Moyes’ team was on roses at half-time with a 0-3 lead, but the victory was still in great danger. Jean-Philippe Mateta was close to equalizing for Palace in injury time with an artistic overhead kick, but the ball went wide: 2-3 for West Ham. The visitors climb to fifth place, while Palace remains eleventh.
Crystal Palace already hit the post via Jeffrey Schlupp in the opening minute, but then the home team had to reverse. Goalkeeper Vicente Guaita prevented a deficit after fifteen minutes with an impressive triple save, but West Ham was unstoppable. Mikhail Antonio, the pivot in the attack the Hammers, put the first goal on the scoreboard in the 22nd minute, by sliding in a sharp cross from Saïd Benrahma from the far post: 0-1.
Just before half time, the 0-3 also falls! ??
West Ham United get a penalty and Lanzini scores his second goal of the evening ??#ZiggoSport #PremierLeague #CRYWHU pic.twitter.com/FrbvTo3Gk3— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) January 1, 2022
Three minutes later, West Ham scored again. Declan Rice released Manuel Lanzini on the edge of the penalty area after an impressive rush with the ball at his foot. The Argentinian first cut an opponent and finished it off phenomenally: 0-2. Crystal Palace was unlucky that Odsonne Édouard then hit the bar, after which the Eagles on the other side were dealt the apparent death blow. In the injury time of the first half, Luka Milivojevic unfortunately got the ball against the arm, after which Lanzini struck from the awarded penalty: 0-3.
Palace continued to fight for a result in the second half despite the large deficit. Édouard could have helped the home side with that in the 55th minute by finishing off an excellent job from Jordan Ayew, but the Frenchman hit the side net. Seven minutes before the end, Édouard still got paid to work by sliding in a cross from Michael Olise: 3-1. The assister then put the 3-2 on the scoreboard himself in the first minute of injury time, after his sharp turning cross was no longer hit by anyone. Palace still had a few minutes to force the equalizer, but Mateta’s beautiful bicycle kick went wide. Jaïro Riedewald also played with the hosts in the last fifteen minutes.
| No. | Team | m | W | G | V | +/- | Pnt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 21 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 40 | 53 |
| 2 | Chelsea | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 29 | 42 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 19 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 34 | 41 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 20 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 35 |
| 5 | West Ham United | 20 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 34 |
| 6 | Tottenham Hotspur | 18 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 33 |
| 7 | Manchester United | 18 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 31 |
| 8 | Wolverhampton W. | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | -1 | 25 |
| 9 | Leicester City | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | -2 | 25 |
| 10 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 18 | 5 | 9 | 4 | -1 | 24 |
| 11 | Crystal Palace | 20 | 5 | 8 | 7 | -1 | 23 |
| 12 | Aston Villa | 18 | 7 | 1 | 10 | -4 | 22 |
| 13 | Southampton | 19 | 4 | 9 | 6 | -9 | 21 |
| 14 | Brentford | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | -4 | 20 |
| 15 | Everton | 17 | 5 | 4 | 8 | -8 | 19 |
| 16 | Leeds United | 18 | 3 | 7 | 8 | -18 | 16 |
| 17 | Watford | 18 | 4 | 1 | 13 | -14 | 13 |
| 18 | Burnley | 16 | 1 | 8 | 7 | -9 | 11 |
| 19 | Newcastle United | 19 | 1 | 8 | 10 | -23 | 11 |
| 20 | Norwich City | 19 | 2 | 4 | 13 | -34 | 10 |