West Ham managed to keep their two‑point advantage over Tottenham and the rest of the relegation cluster by securing a goalless stalemate at Crystal Palace, a result that also sealed Wolves' fate and confirmed their descent from the Premier League after an eight‑year spell in the top flight. Tottenham endured a trying weekend, yet the draw opens a window for Roberto De Zerbi's side in their own survival fight as they prepare for Saturday's visit to Wolves. The Wolves, now the first club this season to be mathematically relegated, will be looking to end their campaign on a positive note, but the odds are heavily stacked against them.
For West Ham, the point extends their stay outside the drop zone by another week, but many observers will argue that the Hammers missed a golden opportunity. While they held firm, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United both claimed victories, and Tottenham made a noticeable step forward in their performance, narrowing the gap between the clubs fighting for survival.
According to Opta, West Ham face the toughest run‑in of any team battling relegation. Their upcoming fixtures include clashes with Everton, Brentford, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Leeds United – all opponents with either European ambitions or a strong push for a higher league finish. The difficulty of this schedule means that every point earned now is crucial.
The match itself was a tactical battle. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side struggled to create a clear opening in the second half and were almost punished by a late goal that was disallowed when Ismaila Sarr’s strike was ruled out for a handball by Palace substitute Jean‑Philippe Mateta. The decision sparked a brief flurry of protest, but the referee stuck to the rule, leaving the score unchanged. Early in the first half, West Ham’s Taty Castellanos produced an acrobatic effort that looked destined for the back of the net, only to be cleared by Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix.
Lacroix, who had recovered from a scare earlier in the week, started the game and showed his resilience by making that vital intervention. Meanwhile, West Ham goalkeeper Dean Henderson made a costly mistake when his punch went wide, almost leaving the Palace goal wide open.
He quickly redeemed himself with a spectacular save to deny Konstantinos Mavropanos a clear‑cut chance. Former Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson, who has yet to find the net since his £35 million move in January, squandered a prime opportunity to put Palace ahead.
Unmarked in the box, he headed the ball well wide, a moment that could have altered the complexion of the match. Despite the pre‑match chatter about Palace potentially losing momentum after their celebratory night in Florence – where they secured a place in the UEFA Conference League semi‑finals – Oliver Glasner’s side finished stronger, extending their unbeaten run to four games and climbing to 13th in the league table. The line‑ups reflected the intensity of the contest. Palace fielded a back four of Henderson, Munoz, Richards and Lacroix, with Canvot, Mitchell, Hughes, Lerma, Johnson, Pino and Strand Larsen forming the midfield and attack.
West Ham’s starting eleven featured Hermansen, Walker‑Peters, Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf, Soucek, Fernandes, Bowen, Pablo, Summerville and Castellanos. Jaydee Canvot earned the Player of the Match award for his disciplined defensive work. Captain Jarrod Bowen spoke to Sky Sports after the match, acknowledging the difficulty of the encounter: "Palace are really good at home and on a high after getting into a European semi‑final. We knew it was going to be really difficult and that we'd have to defend really well.
We had chances that on another day could have gone in. We came here to win, but a point isn’t the worst thing in the world." Former West Ham striker Dean Ashton echoed a similar sentiment, describing the result as a missed chance: "It feels like a tiny opportunity missed for West Ham with the way Crystal Palace played, and even the way we played in the first half.
They had enough chances in the box to get a goal. But Palace away is not an easy fixture, so right now it has to be a positive result." Nuno Espírito Santo, reflecting on his team’s performance, said: "We performed well. We were organised and compact. Tough match.
Our offensive process, the combinations didn't quite go – the final ball, the final touch. The game was very balanced. It's a tough shape to play against. It's brought them a lot of success.
It's hard because they are good players. You cannot find the gaps. They are a threat on the counter‑attacks. We were solid.
It's going to be a fight until the end. It will go all the way, for sure. Not only at the bottom of the table but at the top. This season has been very tight." Glasner praised his squad’s focus: "Maybe they were expecting us to be a little bit fatigued and not focused, and I told the players, 'It's you who have to give the answer'.
It's not important what I want, it's the players, and I think they showed it. They gave the right answer that yes, they are focused, that they are committed, that they are really willing to work hard until the end." Sky Sports analyst Zinny Boswell warned that whether West Ham truly missed a decisive chance will only be clear on the final day of the season, especially if Nuno’s prediction about a tight finish proves accurate. The reality for the Hammers is that Tottenham will celebrate their draw at Palace, and every point earned now is vital in the relegation scramble. Timing has been everything in this battle.
While Spurs failed to secure a win, they displayed signs of improvement before Brighton’s late equaliser. Had West Ham turned the draw into a victory, they would have been four points clear and would have pushed Tottenham into a historically precarious position – only five teams have ever survived after being five points behind with one game left. Looking ahead, Tottenham travel to already‑relegated Wolves on Saturday, a match that could finally deliver their first league win of 2026. West Ham, on the other hand, face Everton, a side chasing European qualification, at the same kick‑off time.
The simultaneous fixtures add a layer of drama, as a shift in momentum could dramatically reshape the lower‑table landscape. West Ham’s upcoming schedule is undeniably demanding.
Their next three opponents are either fighting for European spots or challenging for the title. Notably, all eight of the Hammers’ league victories this season have come against teams currently positioned in the bottom half of the table, underscoring the difficulty they face when stepping up against higher‑ranked clubs.
Predicting Tottenham’s performance against Wolves is a gamble, but a win would lift a heavy weight off their shoulders and could spark a late‑season surge. For West Ham, the hope is that Tottenham’s breakthrough does not come on Saturday, as that would tighten the relegation battle even further. In summary, West Ham secured a point that keeps them afloat but left many feeling a sense of what might have been. Wolves’ relegation is now a certainty, marking the first drop of the season, while the fight for survival continues to intensify as the Premier League approaches its climax.