Crystal Palace dealt a heavy blow to West Ham’s ambitions of playing European football next season with a 5-2 victory at Selhurst Park.
Palace, who had not previously scored more than three goals in a league contest this season, led by four inside 31 minutes, opening the scoring with a Michael Olise header before Eberechi Eze made it two with a superb bicycle kick.
Emerson intensified the Irons’ woes when he turned the ball into his own net before Jean-Philippe Mateta got on the scoresheet just after the half hour mark.
An enjoyable Sunday afternoon 🫡#CPFC | #CRYWHU pic.twitter.com/Za9vLDQlRQ
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) April 21, 2024
Antonio clawed one back for the visitors before the break but Mateta bagged his second in the 64th minute to re-establish the four-goal buffer.
Just as it looked to be the exclamation mark on a thumping victory, Palace keeper Dean Henderson was caught out and allowed Tyrick Mitchell’s backpass to skip past his foot and into the hosts’ net.
Defeat leaves West Ham eighth in the Premier League table, two points adrift of Newcastle and Manchester United above them who both have two games in hand.
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