Chasing Europe and matching Palace: everything you need to know about West Ham

Match previews

20 Feb 2024

Crystal Palace are back at Selhurst Park on Sunday, 21st April (15:00 BST) to take on West Ham United – so before kick-off, it’s time to get the lowdown on our latest opponents…

Factfile

Manager: David Moyes
Current Position: 8th
Nickname: The Irons
Ground: London Stadium
Founded: 1895 (129 years ago)

What’s the story?

West Ham’s season has been a story of contrasts: Premier League and European progress amidst discontent from certain sections of supporters about the club’s style of play under David Moyes.

Moyes can point to a fantastic track record, having guided West Ham to their first trophy in more than four decades last season in the Europa Conference League, with this their third straight campaign in European football.

On Thursday night they took on the impossible, aiming to become the first side in any competition to beat Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen this season, with the newly-crowned German champions taking a two-goal lead into the match at the London Stadium.

They came very close, earning an early lead and pushing for a goal to take the tie into extra-time before conceding a late equaliser - but given the form of Alonso's side this season, there was no shame in narrowly exiting to such a side, and the reaction at the London Stadium told a similar story.

The fight is well and truly on for another season in European competition via the league route, with West Ham just two points behind Manchester United and Newcastle United in the fight for the Europa League places. Can Moyes secure another shot at continental glory next year?

If so, they will need to put their foot on the accelerator as the run-in commences in earnest – but with games against Liverpool and Manchester City still to come they could play a big role in the title race as well as that for the European places. Can they match Palace’s achievement and take points off them both?

The boss

Moyes cemented his status as one of West Ham’s greatest managers with the Conference League triumph in Prague, and is battling to finish in the European places for the third time in four seasons. He is one of the longest-serving managers in the Premier League, having spent the last five years at the London Stadium.

A three-time LMA Manager of the Year with Everton, he returned for a second spell with West Ham United in December 2019, the Irons deep in a relegation battle, steadily transforming their fortunes to reach heights many east London supporters might not have deemed possible upon his arrival.

Turning the club's form around following Project Restart in 2019/20, Moyes' team retained Premier League status and, the following season, went on a remarkable run to finish sixth, securing European football with a club-record Premier League points tally.

While the undoubted pinnacle since was last season's Conference League heroics, West Ham's first major silverware in 43 years, Moyes is targeting a European finish again this season, with only Arsène Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson having managed more matches in the competition.

Boot in both camps

James Tomkins came through the academy at West Ham, making his debut in 2008 and going on to play 243 times for the club before moving to Palace in 2016.

Record against Palace

The Eagles came from behind to earn a point at West Ham back in December, with Odsonne Edouard latching onto a defensive mistake to fire home the equaliser in the second-half.

Palace did the Premier League double over the Irons last season, an unforgettable injury-time winner from Michael Olise adding to Wilfried Zaha's first-half equaliser at London Stadium, and then a 4-3 thriller in the return at Selhurst Park.

Best of the PL: West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace | 2022

Did you know?

Ever wondered where the name ‘West Ham’ comes from? Or, more specifically, the ‘Ham’ part? Who knew there were so many toponymy enthusiasts among us?

Initially spelled ‘Hamme’, the land was granted by the fantastically named King Edgar to the even more fantastically named Ealdorman Athelstan in 958. The Old English word ‘Hamm’ translates as ‘a dry area of land between rivers and marshland’; lying between the Thames, the Lea and the Roding, it was a perfect name.

In 1186 the area was referred to as ‘Westhamma’, and so the name was born. Ironically, hundreds of years later it became one of the major manufacturing hubs for processed foods, earning it the 19th century nickname ‘London over the border’, and would, according to the Times, “make the once desolate parish of West Ham a manufacturing and commercial centre of the first importance and to bring upon it a teeming and an industrious population”.

Match details

Sunday, 21st April
15:00 BST
Selhurst Park
Live audio commentary on Palace TV+

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