West Ham managed to retain their two‑point advantage over Tottenham and keep clear of the bottom three after a goalless stalemate against Crystal Palace, a result that also sealed Wolves' drop from the Premier League. The draw meant that after an eight‑year spell in the top flight, Wolves became the first club this season to be relegated, ending their Premier League tenure. Tottenham endured a turbulent weekend, but the point they earned against Palace has opened a pathway for Roberto De Zerbi's side in their own survival fight as they prepare for Saturday's clash with the already‑relegated Wolves. While West Ham have bought themselves another week outside the drop zone, the match may be viewed as a lost opportunity, especially after seeing Nottingham Forest and Leeds United claim victories and Tottenham make a noticeable step forward in their performance.
According to Opta, West Ham face the toughest run‑in among all the clubs battling relegation. Their remaining fixtures include games against Everton, Brentford, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Leeds United – opponents that are either pushing for European places or are entrenched in the title race. This demanding schedule underscores the importance of turning every point into a win. In the second half, Nuno Espírito Santo's West Ham side struggled to create a clear opening and came perilously close to conceding a late goal.
Ismaila Sarr appeared to have scored, but his strike was disallowed after a review showed an unnecessary handball by Palace substitute Jean‑Philippe Mateta. The decision left the Hammers with a missed chance to take all three points.
Earlier in the match, West Ham's Taty Castellanos produced an acrobatic effort that seemed destined for the net, only for Palace defender Maxence Lacroix – who had recovered from an injury scare to start the game – to clear the ball. Dean Henderson's initial punch on a cross was poorly timed, leaving the goal wide open, but the goalkeeper quickly redeemed himself with a superb save to deny Konstantinos Mavropanos later on. Mavropanos, who had scored twice in West Ham's recent win over Wolves, could have been more decisive; his header was too close to Henderson for a clear goal. Former Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson, who has yet to find the net since his £35 million move in January, squandered a golden opportunity to give Palace an early lead.
Unmarked in the box, he headed wide, missing a chance that could have shifted the momentum early in the game. Despite the talk of Palace possibly losing focus after their celebrations in Florence – where they reached the Conference League semi‑finals – Oliver Glasner's side finished stronger, extending their unbeaten run to four matches and climbing to 13th place in the league table. The line‑ups reflected the tactical battle: Crystal Palace fielded Henderson, Munoz, Richards, Lacroix, Canvot, Mitchell, Hughes, Lerma, Johnson, Pino and Strand Larsen, with Kamada, Sarr, Mateta and Devenny on the bench. West Ham started Hermansen, Walker‑Peters, Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf, Soucek, Fernandes, Bowen, Pablo, Summerville and Castellanos, with Wilson and Kante as substitutes.
Jaydee Canvot earned the Player of the Match award for Palace. West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen told Sky Sports: "It’s probably a bit of both. 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 did have some chances that on another day could go in. We came here to win the game, but a point isn’t the worst thing in the world." Former West Ham striker Dean Ashton added his perspective: "It feels like a tiny opportunity missed for West Ham with the way Crystal Palace played, and even the way they themselves played in the first half.
They had enough chances in the penalty area to get that goal. But Palace away is not an easy fixture, so right now, it has to be a positive result." Manager Nuno Espírito Santo reflected on the performance: "We performed well.
We were organised and compact. Tough match.
Our offensive process, the combinations didn’t quite click – the final ball, the final touch. The game was very balanced. It’s a tough shape to play against; they’ve brought a lot of success and are a threat on the counter‑attack.
We were solid. It will be a fight until the end. This season has been very tight, not just at the bottom but at the top as well." Glasner praised his players: "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 about what I want; it’s about the players, and they showed they are focused, committed and willing to work hard until the end." Sky Sports analyst Zinny Boswell noted that whether West Ham truly missed a decisive chance will only be clear on the final day, should Nuno’s prediction about a tight season hold true. The timing of points is crucial in a relegation battle; Tottenham’s draw at Palace may feel like a step forward, but they still need a win to cement safety.
A victory for West Ham would have pushed them four points clear and forced Tottenham into a historically precarious position – only five teams have ever survived after being that close to the drop. Looking ahead, Tottenham travel to Wolves, who are already confirmed as relegated, offering them a realistic chance of securing their first league win of 2026. West Ham, meanwhile, face Everton, a side chasing European qualification. Both matches kick off at 3 pm and carry significant weight in the fight for survival.
West Ham’s upcoming schedule remains daunting. Their next three opponents are all teams with European ambitions or title‑contending aspirations, and all eight of their league wins this season have come against clubs currently in the bottom half of the table.
This pattern highlights the difficulty of accumulating points against stronger opposition. Predicting Tottenham’s performance against Wolves is speculative, but a win would likely lift a heavy weight off their shoulders. For West Ham, the hope is that Tottenham’s resurgence does not coincide with a slip‑up on Saturday, as every point will be vital in the closing stages of the campaign.
The Premier League table continues to shift, and fans can follow live updates, watch highlights on the Sky Sports app, or stream matches via the club’s official platforms. The battle for survival remains intense, and each club must seize every opportunity to avoid the drop as the season draws to a dramatic close.