Match Overview

The Week 5 match between West Ham and Crystal Palace is set to take place on September 20 at the London Stadium. This preview provides an analysis, prediction, odds, and statistics for the West Ham vs Crystal Palace encounter.

West Ham’s Current Form

Graham Potter’s side is currently among the bottom three teams in the league, having secured only 3 points from 4 matches. The team achieved an impressive 3-0 away victory against Nottingham Forest, but suffered heavy defeats in their other fixtures, losing 3-0 to both Sunderland and Tottenham, and 5-1 to Chelsea. Consequently, West Ham’s matches have been the most high-scoring in the league, with an average of 3.8 goals per game. The London club has also conceded the most goals, with a total of 11 against them.

• At least three goals have been scored in West Ham’s last 6 matches.
• In their last 15 outings, the club has managed only 3 victories (along with 4 draws and 8 defeats).
• At home, the Londoners are on a 7-match winless streak in the championship, with 3 draws and 4 losses.

West Ham’s Provisional Lineup (4-4-2)*

Mads Hermansen – Max Kilman, El-Hadji Malick Diouf, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Kyle Walker-Peters – James Ward-Prowse, Tomas Soucek, Lucas Paqueta, Matheus Fernandes – Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville.

Midfielder Tomas Soucek is suspended for 3 matches. Midfielder Luis Guilherme is out due to injury.

Crystal Palace’s Current Form

Crystal Palace remains undefeated in the current championship campaign. The team secured a 3-0 away win against Aston Villa and has drawn three other matches. As a result, Oliver Glasner’s squad is positioned in 9th place. It’s worth noting that besides Crystal Palace, only Liverpool and Chelsea are still unbeaten in the .

• The Londoners’ unbeaten run in the league extends to 10 matches (3 wins and 7 draws).
• No more than two goals were scored in 6 of Crystal Palace’s last 8 games.
• The team did not lose the first half in their previous 8 matches (5 wins and 3 draws).

Crystal Palace’s Provisional Lineup (5-4-1)*

Dean Henderson – Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, Tyrick Mitchell, Daniel Muñoz, Marc Guéhi – Jefferson Lerma, Will Hughes, Yeremi Pino, Daichi Kamada – Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Defender Shadi Riad, midfielders Cheik Doukouré, and forwards Ismaila Sarr, Odsonne Édouard, and Eddie Nketiah will miss the match due to injuries.

Referee Analysis

Tony Harrington (England)

Matches officiated – 19 (, 2024/25–2025/26);

Yellow cards shown (including second yellow cards) – 76;

Average yellow cards per match – 4;

Red cards shown – 3;

Average fouls per match – 22;

Penalties awarded – 21%.

Match Prediction: West Ham vs Crystal Palace

In this upcoming London derby, I give a slight edge to the visitors. Oliver Glasner’s team is in excellent form and has not lost in the league since mid-April. Meanwhile, West Ham has been struggling for a second consecutive season. Last season, they narrowly avoided relegation from the , but with their current performance, the club could well find themselves in the Championship next year.

West Ham fails to impress even on their home turf, where they have been unable to secure a victory in 7 consecutive matches. Moreover, the team concedes a significant number of goals at home. Crystal Palace, playing away, has only lost to Newcastle and Manchester City in their last 17 matches, boasting 7 wins and 8 draws. It’s also worth noting that Oliver Glasner’s team has not conceded more than 1 goal in their last five away league games. Considering West Ham’s offensive struggles, I believe Crystal Palace will at least secure a draw.

My prediction is: “Crystal Palace with a handicap (0)” with odds of 1.73

* For each team, the starting lineup from their last match in this tournament is indicated.