Premier League: Who Will Show Their Sunday Best at the Palace?

Crystal Palace vs West Ham United

Sunday at the Palace in the Premier League has a rather royal feel about it, so, as south London prepares to host east London, can we expect some regal football?

Certainly, on their day, both Crystal Palace and West Ham can be exciting to watch and are more than capable of delivering Premier League 2024 highlights against the best of them.

As we enter the final month of a long, hard season, the difference in this contest could simply come down to which side is fresher.

Talking Points

If that is the case, then Palace should have the edge.

Last time out, they produced one of the results of the season with a 1-0 win over title-chasing Liverpool.

Make no mistake; this was no fluke.

It was a game in which they attacked with panache and then defended with doggedness and determination when it mattered.

The supremely gifted duo of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze cut through Liverpool, prompted by 20-year-old midfielder Adam Wharton, who signed from Blackburn for an initial fee of £18 million in the New Year and a player who has featured in every Palace game since.

Equal plaudits go elsewhere too.

At the other end was the quite outstanding Joachim Andersen, the only recognised centre-back in the XI who was supreme in marshalling a back three that also contained full-back Nathaniel Clyne and midfielder Jefferson Lerma.

I still think the way the club dealt with the final days of Roy Hodgson’s reign was poor, and, without a bad run of injuries to key men, results like last Sunday would have arrived earlier, just as they have impressed on occasions in previous seasons.

Now they could shine until the end of the campaign.

It does appear in contrast to West Ham, who may be missing top scorer Jarrod Bowen through injury, while David Moyes’s future beyond the end of this season remains uncertain.

Despite their success in Europe and a lofty position in the top half of the table, there is a sense West Ham fans have never truly bought into his pragmatic style, and, with his contract expiring this summer, his team’s performance against Fulham did him few favours.

It was a lacklustre defeat which highlighted his side’s limitations, and aside from a lively start, West Ham quickly ran out of ideas, with Lucas Paquetá lacking his usual creative influence.

Certainly, without Bowen, West Ham looked one-paced, and regardless of how they fare in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Bayer Leverkusen, I think they will have little fight left for the trip to Palace.

History

The Hammers have had the edge historically in their meetings with Palace.

Overall, they have 25 victories to Palace’s 18, with a further 24 draws.

The first two games were both draws, in fact, in the former Southern League First Division in 1906 and 1907.

Aside from an FA Cup clash in 1914, all their initial games were in that division, and they didn’t actually lock horns in the top flight of English football until November 1969, when West Ham were 2-1 winners at Upton Park.

That was courtesy of goals from Clyde Best and a player you might have heard of by the name of Geoff Hurst!

Interestingly, looking through the team sheet for the home side that day really is a who’s-who of some of the most respected and household names in English football, including World Cup-winning England captain Bobby Moore, Billy Bonds, Trevor Brooking, Bobby Howe, Martin Peters, Frank Lampard senior, and future manager Harry Redknapp.

The very first meeting in the Premier League came in October 1994, when a Don Hutchison goal settled the contest at Upton Park. Palace won the return fixture that season thanks to Chris Armstrong, but it wasn’t enough to prevent their relegation.

The most famous meeting in modern times came in the 2004 Division One play-off final, when a Neil Shipperley goal at Wembley caused a mighty victory for the Eagles, who were underdogs against the East Londoners.

Earlier this season, the sides drew 1-1 at the London Stadium, with Mohammed Kudus opening the scoring before Odsonne Edouard equalised early in the second half.

If this Sunday’s game is half as exciting as the corresponding fixture last year, we are in for a treat. That was an encounter which can best be described as a seven-goal thriller, with Eze netting what proved to be the winner from the penalty spot midway through the second half.

Jordan Ayew, Wilfred Zaha, and Jeffrey Schlupp scored the other goals for the hosts, with Tomas Soucek, Michail Antonio, and Nayef Aguerd replying for Moyes’ men.

Betting Tip

I am going for a home win with the SBOTOP Premier League 2024 betting odds.

For a start, I think they will be fresher than the Hammers, who will have contested the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final with newly crowned German champions Leverkusen.

Secondly, I also think the Eagles will be full of confidence after their impressive victory at Liverpool on Sunday.

If you fancy the Eagles, how about 1X2 @ 2.25 or Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 0.97.

Likewise, if the Hammers catch your eye, then consider 1X2 @ 2.89 and Asian Handicap 0.25 @ 0.93.

A re-run of the meeting earlier this term is on offer @ 6.30 with Correct Score, with a repeat of last season’s fun-filled fest earning you a pay day @ 150.00 if there’s to be another 4-3 Palace triumph.

I see Palace taking advantage of tired legs from West Ham and my tip is First Half 1X2 Palace @ 2.72.

 

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