West Ham managed to cling onto a two‑point advantage over Tottenham and keep clear of the bottom three after a goalless stalemate with Crystal Palace, a result that also sealed Wolves' drop from the Premier League. The draw gave Roberto De Zerbi's side a small lifeline in their survival fight as they prepare for an upcoming clash with Wolves, who, after eight seasons in the top flight, become the first club this campaign to be condemned to the Championship.
Tottenham endured a bruising weekend, yet the point they earned at Selhurst Park opens a narrow pathway back into the safety zone ahead of their Saturday encounter with Wolves. Meanwhile, West Ham have earned a brief reprieve from the relegation zone, but many observers will argue they have squandered a golden opportunity, especially after seeing Nottingham Forest and Leeds United secure victories while Spurs made a noticeable step forward in performance. According to Opta, West Ham face the toughest run‑in among the clubs fighting to avoid the drop, with upcoming fixtures against Everton, Brentford, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Leeds United – all teams with ambitions either for European places or a top‑four finish. In the second half, Nuno Espírito Santo's side struggled to create a clear opening and were nearly punished by a late Palace chance that was ruled out when Ismaila Sarr’s strike was disallowed for a handball by substitute Jean‑Philippe Mateta.
Earlier, West Ham’s Taty Castellanos produced a spectacular effort that looked destined for the net before Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix, who had just returned from an injury scare, cleared the ball after Dean Henderson’s mis‑timed punch left the goal exposed. Henderson quickly redeemed himself, making a fine save to deny Konstantinos Mavropanos.
The Greek defender, who had netted twice in the earlier win over Wolves, could have been more decisive with his header, which fell just short of the keeper. Former Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson, who has yet to find the net since his £35 million move in January, missed a clear chance to put Palace ahead, heading wide from an unmarked position inside the box. Despite speculation that Palace might lose momentum after their celebratory trip to Florence for the Conference League semi‑finals, Oliver Glasner’s side finished stronger, extending their unbeaten streak to four games and climbing to 13th place in the league. Team line‑ups were as follows: Crystal Palace – Henderson (7), Muñoz (6), Richards (7), Lacroix (7), Canvot (8), Mitchell (7), Hughes (6), Lerma (6), Johnson (5), Pino (6), Strand Larsen (4); substitutes Kamada (7), Sarr (6), Mateta (6), Devenny (6).
West Ham – Hermansen (7); Walker‑Peters (7), Mavropanos (7), Disasi (7), Diouf (7); Soucek (6), Fernandes (7); Bowen (6), Pablo (5), Summerville (6); Castellanos (6). Substitutes Wilson (5), Kante (5). Player of the Match was awarded to Jaydee Canvot of Crystal Palace.
West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen told Sky Sports: "It’s probably a bit of both. Palace are very strong at home and buoyed by their European semi‑final. We knew it would be a tough test and that we had to defend well. We had chances that on another day could have gone in.
We came here to win, but a point isn’t the worst outcome." Former Hammers striker Dean Ashton added: "It feels like a tiny opportunity missed for West Ham given how Palace played and how we performed in the first half. They had enough chances in the box to score.
But winning at Palace is never easy, so a point is still a positive result." Nuno Espírito Santo reflected: "We were organized and compact, a tough match. Our attacking combinations didn’t click – the final ball, the final touch.
The game was very balanced; they are a hard side to break down and dangerous on the counter. We stayed solid and it will be a fight until the end. This season is tight at both ends of the table." Oliver Glasner, Palace manager, said: "Maybe they expected us to be fatigued and lose focus, but I told the players it was up to them. It’s not about what I want, it’s about the players delivering.
They gave the answer – they stayed focused, committed and worked hard until the final whistle." Sky Sports analyst Zinny Boswell noted that whether West Ham truly missed a chance will only be clear on the final day, especially if Nuno’s prediction about the league’s tightness holds true. The reality for the Hammers is that Tottenham will celebrate their draw at Palace, and timing will prove crucial. Spurs may have failed to win again, but there were signs of improvement before Brighton’s late equaliser.
Had West Ham turned the draw into a win, they would have been four points clear and pushed Tottenham into a position historically survived by only five teams. Instead, the Hammers now sit just outside the drop zone, while Spurs travel to already‑relegated Wolves – a match that could finally deliver a league win for Tottenham in 2026.
West Ham, meanwhile, face Everton, a club currently chasing European competition, in their next fixture. Looking ahead, West Ham’s schedule remains daunting, with opponents either fighting for European spots or contesting the title race. All eight of their league victories this season have come against teams currently in the lower half of the table, underscoring the challenge ahead. While predicting Tottenham’s performance is speculative, a win for them would lift a weight off their shoulders, potentially altering the dynamics of the relegation battle.
West Ham must now hope that Spurs secure those points and do not hand the Hammers a further setback on Saturday.