Crystal Palace took an early lead through their returning talisman Wilfried Zaha, but David Moyes’ side were soon back on terms through Tomas Soucek and from there on in dominated. West Ham continued their flawless start to 2021 with another impressive win to move into the top four of the Premier League.
The free-scoring Soucek added another and Michail Antonio will feel he should have had a hat-trick of his own, twice hitting the post and seeing Vicente Guaita make a wonderful reflex save to keep him out.
Craig Dawson did add the third with a routine header from a corner as Roy Hodgson’s side continued their own run of form – the mirror image of West Ham’s resurgence.
Michy Batshuayi’s late strike for the hosts took some of the shine off the scoreline for West Ham but in truth, they were rarely troubled. Three points made it six wins in a row in all competitions for the visitors, but Palace – still a healthy 11 points clear of danger – have now won one in 10.
Europe the limit for West Ham?
The Hammers sit fourth in the table, above champions Liverpool, a scenario few would have imagined just a year ago. West Ham was 17th in the Premier League, just one point above the relegation zone, when Moyes returned for a second spell in December 2019.
Now he may have his sights on matching the club’s best-ever Premier League finish of fifth in 1999 – although he will know as well as any manager not to take his side’s form for granted in this most unpredictable of seasons.
Zaha’s brilliant early goal had the Hammers on the back foot right away but they settled well and were level when Antonio hooked a ball across for the ever-dangerous Soucek to power in a header.
The Czech, a relative bargain at £19m, has had a great year under Moyes and soon added a second, controlling a deep free-kick on his thigh before smashing in at the near post. Straight from the restart Antonio hit the post from the edge of the area and he did the same before the break, turning a miscued shot from Aaron Cresswell on to the woodwork.
His misses would not matter though, despite Batshuayi’s stoppage-time finish. Dawson’s powerful header made it five wins for Moyes in five matches at Selhurst Park, for five different teams – Preston (2001), Everton (2004), Manchester United (2014), Sunderland (2017) and West Ham (2021).
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