West Ham Vs Crystal Palace F.C. Lineups
West Ham United manager David Moyes will likely stick with the current squad for this visit to Crystal Palace. His team’s character and resolve in the face of adversity in the previous match encouraged him.
The Eagles are coming off a disappointing defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek, but Roy Hodgson’s improved attacking options showcase they have goals in them.
West Ham United
West Ham United are in 16th place in the Premier League standings after a slow start to 2022/23. They suffered a narrow loss to Liverpool on Tuesday and are looking for a win against Crystal Palace. The return of midfielder Marko Arnautovic will boost the Hammers. He missed West Ham’s last two games with an injury and could be back in the starting lineup for this match.
The hosts are expected to use a 3-5-2 formation in this game. They have an impressive home record and will be confident about their chances against the Eagles.
West Ham will look to improve on their sluggish defensive performances. They have conceded more than a goal in their past three Premier League matches. Their defence will be tested by the aggressive approach of Crystal Palace’s frontline.
Both teams have a lot to play for on Sunday. The winner of the match will move closer to a top-four finish, while the loser will fall further into the relegation zone. Both sides have good attacking options, so the game will likely be a high-scoring affair.
The Hammers have a strong squad and can bounce back from recent setbacks. The team’s poor defence has been a major cause of concern, but the players are showing signs of improvement in their recent games. Michail Antonio and Said Benrahma will lead the attack for West Ham. They have the strength and speed to give a tough time to the defenders of MUFC.
David Moyes has a strong squad and will only make a few changes to his side despite the defeat to Liverpool. The former Manchester United manager is confident about his team’s form and believes they can get a result against the Eagles.
Lukasz Fabianski was injured against the Red Devils and is unlikely to play this weekend. Maxwel Cornet is also a doubt for the visit of the Hammers after sustaining an injury in the win against Brentford. Lucas Paqueta is back in training and will be included in the squad.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace scored three rapid-fire goals in a thrilling first half and beat West Ham 4-3 in a London derby full of excitement and tension. Jordan Ayew, Wilfried Zaha and Jeffrey Schlupp all netted for the Eagles in a frantic 15-minute spell as Roy Hodgson’s side moved further away from the Premier League relegation zone. Tomas Soucek, Michail Antonio and Nayef Aguerd struck for the Hammers to give them hope of survival in the division.
Having lost 2-0 at Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek, it was always likely that the Eagles would be eager to make amends when they take on their city rivals at Selhurst Park. It will be the thirty-third time the two teams have met, and there has never been a goalless draw between them.
It is expected that Eagles centre-back Mamadou Sakho will miss out with a knee injury, but the return of Jordan Ayew will provide some much-needed depth to their attacking options. Cheick Doucoure will likely keep his place at the heart of the midfield for Palace, with Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze on either flank. Odsonne Edouard will lead the lineup front.
There is little chance that Hodgson will tinker with his backline after the loss at Molineux, which saw Joachim Andersen’s goal hand David Moyes a second straight defeat as Palace manager. As a result, defenders Luka Milivojevic and James McArthur will probably compete for the centre-back role alongside Patrick van Aanholt and Jason Puncheon.
The emergence of Christian Benteke has been one of the main talking points for Crystal Palace this season, and his pace will prove to be a major factor in how this game pans out. The Belgium international has been a regular under Hodgson since his arrival and has netted six times in the last eight appearances.
Both sides have shown resilience throughout the campaign, and they come into this clash keen to extend their current gap to the relegation zone. This game will be an entertaining affair between a pair of sides with plenty to play for in the season’s final weeks.
Lineups
West Ham have a good record against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, having won eight of their thirteen matches and lost just one. They’ve also never played out a draw against them at the London Stadium. However, Crystal Palace have a better overall record against West Ham, having won nine of their seventeen matches and drawn two.
A feisty and high-scoring contest is on the cards at Selhurst Park. Both teams will be looking to build on their good recent performances in the league and move into the top ten. Both sides are brimming with attacking talent. West Ham will look to reclaim the top spot in the table, while Crystal Palace hopes to break into the top four.
The match will kick off at 12:30 BST on Saturday at the London Stadium. A pre-match press conference will take place at 11:45 BST. Ahead of the game, we’ll look at the likely lineups for both teams.
For the Hammers, Lucas Paqueta could return to the starting XI after recovering from injury. He may replace Mark Noble in midfield, while Pablo Fornals and Emerson will also be available for selection. Lukasz Fabianski remains doubtful following his knee problem, but the Polish goalkeeper could be fit to play.
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson, will be without Cheick Doucoure, who was forced off with a hamstring injury during the defeat to Southampton. The Eagles may have to rely on Odsonne Edouard for goals in his absence, although the forward is expected to be fit for the visit of the Hammers.
Joel Ward will start at right-back, while Jordan Ayew will likely retain his left-wing position. Tomas Soucek is also in contention for a starting berth, with the Czech international having made a solid contribution to the team’s midfield work. The Eagles hope to build on their three-point lead over Wolves when they welcome The Hammers to Selhurst Park. The game is a vital match for both teams. A win for Palace will close the gap on their local rivals, while a win for The Hammers would lift them into ninth.
Prediction
West Ham and Crystal Palace are breathing a little easier of late after both teams have pulled clear of the relegation zone. Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace side has a healthy eight-point cushion above the bottom three, while David Moyes’ West Ham team has a five-point lead over their capital rivals with only one match left. Saturday’s Selhurst Park match could be a pivotal game for both sides.
Both sides have struggled to find their shooting boots this season, but they should be able to produce some goals in this match. The home team is better at defending and unlikely to concede more than two goals in the match. On the other hand, the visitors are surprisingly dangerous on the counter-attack and can score a few goals in the match.
In the previous head-to-head matches between these two sides, the Hammers have won 18 times, and Crystal Palace has won nine times. The duels have also ended in 16 draws. Crystal Palace’s last win against the Hammers was in November 2022, when they won 2-1 at home.
West Ham has improved recently and will look to secure another win over their local rivals on Saturday. Their form at home has been encouraging, and their recent results suggest that they can make a strong comeback from the bottom half of the Premier League table.
The West Ham defence has been solid recently, and they have allowed only four goals in their last seven games. They are also solid away from home and have not lost in their last four road games.
Crystal Palace has been the weakest team in scoring this season, but they have a good defensive record. Their defenders have a total of 1479 interceptions and 58 blocks, which is a good indicator of their defence. In addition, they have some players who are good at defending and can prevent goals from being scored against them.
Michail Antonio has been the main goal threat for West Ham this season, and he will be looking to add to his impressive tally of six league goals. He is currently tied with Mauro Zarate for the lead in the league’s top scorers list, and he should be able to provide an important goal against his former club.
