Crystal Palace 2-3 West Ham: Hammers cling on for London derby win as Eagles fall short with late fightback

Turnaround: Manuel Lanzini scored a first-half brace as West Ham clung on to beat Crystal Palace
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George Flood1 January 2022

West Ham retook fifth place in the Premier League from rivals Tottenham by holding off a late Crystal Palace fightback in a New Year's Day London derby.

Manuel Lanzini notched a brace and Michail Antonio scored the opening goal as the Hammers did all their damage in the first half under the lights at Selhurst Park, with Odsonne Edouard and Michael Olise then netting to set up a grandstand finish as an admirable fightback from Patrick Vieira’s side came just too late.

The result means West Ham quickly leapfrog Spurs, who had gone back into fifth courtesy of Davinson Sanchez's last-gasp winner against struggling Watford earlier in the day.

With back-to-back victories to their name to halt a worrying slump, David Moyes' team are just a point adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal following the latter's heartbreaking defeat by runaway leaders Manchester City, while Palace miss out on the chance to return to the top half of the table.

Despite missing key stars Wilfried Zaha and Conor Gallagher, Palace, with manager Vieira back in the dugout after a positive Covid-19 test, actually spent much of the first half on the front foot and enjoyed the majority of possession, hitting the woodwork in the first minute through Jeffrey Schlupp.

However, the match was effectively lost in the span of three minutes, with Antonio turning home past Vicente Guaita - who had earlier made a fine double save to deny Antonio and Said Benrahma - from close range after getting around Marc Guehi to connect with Benrahma’s excellent cross from the left.

Palace were reeling as West Ham quickly made it 2-0, with Declan Rice - returning for his 150th Premier League appearance after suspension - drove forward through the middle and teed up Lanzini, who looked to have taken too many touches as he set up a sublime left-foot volley that fizzed into the back of the net.

Palace responded well to that quick-fire double blow with Edouard striking Jordan Ayew’s cut back against the underside of the crossbar and Christian Benteke forcing Lukasz Fabianski into a smart low save.

However, they went in at the break three behind after captain Luka Milivojevic inexplicably handled just inside the box after Jarrod Bowen had knocked down Ben Johnson’s cross.

A penalty was awarded after the VAR advised that referee Darren England go over and consult the pitch-side monitor, with Lanzini then firmly dispatching the ball into the bottom corner past the despairing Guaita, who had guessed correctly.

Palace pressed for a route back into the game after the interval, with substitute Michael Olise the architect of a fightback attempt.

The former Reading starlet’s cross was turned in by Edouard, while in stoppage time he produced a free-kick that sailed straight in at the back post without a touch from anyone in the middle.

Issa Diop did not cover himself in glory for either goal, ducking under Olise’s initial cross before fouling Jordan Ayew for Palace’s second.

But West Ham clung on for a hard-fought victory despite Jean-Philippe Mateta hooking an acrobatic strike wide, with Vieira booked after the final whistle after complaining to the referee about an apparent back-pass that wasn’t spotted.

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