Crystal Palace 5-2 West Ham: Eagles thrash hapless Hammers, whose top-six hopes take a blow

David Moyes admitted he was "embarrassed" by West Ham's performance after their top-six hopes suffered a blow thanks to a 5-2 thrashing at Crystal Palace.

Moyes' side produced a dreadful first-half display and were humiliated in the opening 31 minutes, with Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze seemingly untouchable.

Olise opened the scoring after just seven minutes before Eze converted a rebound with an audacious bicycle kick. Emerson then summed up the Hammers' display by bundling the ball into his own net after a miscommunication with the beleaguered Lukasz Fabianski.

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Jean-Philippe Mateta was left unmarked to slide in Palace's fourth. While Michail Antonio pulled one back before half-time, Mateta was able to fire in a fifth after more outstanding build-up play by Eze.

Even Dean Henderson's late error, allowing Tyrick Mitchell's pass to bobble into his own goal, won't take the shine off Palace's win - the first time they have claimed back-to-back Premier League victories in a year.

The heavy defeat completes a miserable week for West Ham, who exited the Europa League on Thursday and are now in danger of missing European qualification as their season threatens to peter out.

How Palace embarrassed hapless Hammers

West Ham's curious season took another turn in south London. They started the day knowing a win would move them into sixth yet ended it conceding four or more goals in the Premier League for the fifth time this season.

Perhaps they were tired after their midweek exertions against Bayer Leverkusen but there can be no excuse for West Ham's display in the opening 45 minutes.

Palace blew away their London rivals, taking an early lead when Olise beat Emerson and Fabianski to Joachim Andersen’s cross and headed into an empty net.

Mitchell almost doubled the lead moments later - but Palace didn't have to wait long for another goal, with Eze opting to convert the rebound from Mateta's shot with an outrageous bicycle kick.

Emerson then deflected a low cross past Fabianski under pressure from Daniel Munoz before Mateta was given the freedom of the West Ham area to slide in Palace's fourth.

Antonio endured a dreadful afternoon but did find the scoresheet when he bundled Tomas Soucek's knockdown beyond Henderson.

Eze should have scored again early in the second half, instead allowing Fabianski and Kurt Zouma to block, but Mateta fired in a fifth after the midfielder tormented the West Ham captain.

Henderson provided Moyes' side with an undeserved second when he lost his focus and glanced Mitchell's pass as it trundled into his own goal but it was far too little, far too late for West Ham, who have now won just one of their last eight games in all competitions.

With Moyes showing no signs of extending a contract that expires at the end of the season and their top-six rivals holding games in hand, West Ham's season is in danger of falling flat.

Moyes: No excuses - it was so bad

West Ham manager David Moyes was furious with his side's display, saying: "The first half was as bad as I’ve seen us play. We’ve had three or four of these incidents this season that I couldn’t believe.

"In three seasons here, I don’t think the players had gone to the depths that we’ve gone to in two or three games.

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"The first half was unacceptable, mainly our defending and how we started the game. Lots of things were not correct today. We didn’t compete. It was hard to explain.

"I’m giving no excuses whatsoever. The players got praise for their performance on Thursday but today was so bad. I can hardly put it into words.

"We need a response from the players. We’ve lost a bit of the tough culture that we had - pride, making sure we didn’t concede and were hard to play against. Today we were none of them.

"I’m so disappointed for the supporters who came here today. I’m embarrassed to sit here and be speaking on behalf of the team. I’ve not had many teams who played like that in my whole career."

However, Moyes believes European qualification is still possible, saying: "If we’d arrived in this position having won six games in a row, we’d be saying we’ve got a chance.

"Just because we’ve lost a couple of games, we’ve still got a chance. We’ll keep trying."

Glasner: Congratulations to my players

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Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner said:

"Firstly, congratulations to the team on this amazing performance and this impressive win. They [West Ham] are one of the best teams in transitions and we didn't give them the situations.

"When we got a little bit sloppy, we conceded a goal, but in the second half we were still very concentrated. I'm very pleased."

Asked about Olise and Eze's impressive performances, Glasner said: "They are excellent players and important for our offence," but added: "It's a team game.

"We know they have fantastic qualities and they enjoyed playing like this, but we allowed West Ham four shots. This is important. Everybody has to work hard for the team and they worked hard."

Glasner also downplayed fears over Adam Wharton, who was replaced after a collision with Emerson, saying: "It was a knee-on-knee knock. It hurts so we will see.

"I don't think it's serious. It's painful but he's a young guy, so he can deal with the pain."

Opta stats: Glasner helping Eagles to fly

• Both of Crystal Palace's victories by three goals in the Premier League this season have come under Oliver Glasner (3-0 vs Burnley and 5-2 vs West Ham). Prior to his arrival, the Eagles had only won one of their previous 71 games in the competition by three or more goals (5-1 vs Leeds in April 2023).
• West Ham have only won four of their 21 games across all competitions in 2024 (D8 L9) - indeed, they have the fifth-lowest win percentage of any Premier League team this year (19 per cent), behind only Burnley (13.3 per cent), Sheffield United (13.3 per cent), Nottingham Forest (15.8 per cent) and Everton (18.8 per cent).
• In what was his 693rd game as a manager in the Premier League, this was the earliest a David Moyes side had ever been 4-0 down in a game in the competition (31st minute - Crystal Palace 4-0 West Ham).
• Jean-Philippe Mateta has scored nine goals for Crystal Palace in the Premier League this season, more than in his first three campaigns in the competition combined (8). This was his first brace for the club on what was his 88th league appearance for the Eagles.

What's next?

Crystal Palace's next game is at home to Newcastle in the Premier League on Wednesday; kick-off 8pm. The Eagles then travel to Fulham on Saturday; kick-off 3pm.

West Ham are next in action at home to Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday; kick-off 12.30pm. The Hammers then travel to Chelsea on Sunday May 5; kick-off 2pm.

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