Three wins in a row for Irons as Super Anderson sinks Palace

West Ham 3 Crystal Palace 2

Pre-match lunch is at the Best Cafe where Matt and Lisa are happily completing the Cardiff programme quiz, as we all struggle over which West Ham striker scored a hat-trick away to Cardiff in 2003 (it was Jermain Defoe).

They then leave early to visit the club store where they presumably plan to buy a discounted Moyes tracksuit for Fraser. Nigel arrives for a late bacon sarnie before we head off down Carpenters Road and a lucky chocolate bar for Nigel from the shop that sells cans of beer at £3 a go.

Hernandez hits the keepers' legs and Perez fires a shot across the face of the goal early on, but Palace score with their first chance from a free kick. The West Ham defence tries to play offside but Declan Rice has held back and from Tomkins' header McArthur has the simple task of poking the ball past Fabianski. The Palace fans go into their silly chant and ask, "Is this is the Emirates?"

Anderson always looks creative but it's a mediocre first half from the Hammers, with Noble giving the ball away and Zabaleta having a poor match. Not even Matt's unprecedented encouragement of Arthur Masuaku helps. It's almost two when Milivojevic hits the bar with a free kick late on.

SUPER SNODDY
The injured Perez (he has a bloody foot looking at his twitter pic) is replaced by Andy Carroll at half time. The Hammers come out a different side and once again score three in quick succession at the start of the second half. As a cross is headed out by a defender Snodgrass strikes a lovely half-volley into the top corner. It's a great moment for the revived Scotsman who rushes to the Bobby Moore end with feeling. There's even a chant of "Super Robert Snodgrass!" What would have been the odds on that a year and a half ago?

Palace come back as an attacking force and at 1-1 Fabianski has to make a smart save from Meyer. It gets better as Carroll wins a free kick on the edge of the area. Anderson's free kick is parried and Hernandez pokes home a high spinning ball. It's a poacher's finish and a lot of strikers would have put it over.

FORTRESS LONDON STADIUM

The third arrives with a sumptuous effort from Anderson, Bubbles is sounding around the stadium as Chicharito finds the the Brazilian alchemist, who strokes the ball like a golfer into the top corner. The atmosphere is cracking now and it's starting to feel more like home. A great Masuaku cross is nearly converted by Chicharito and it's turned into a great if nerve-wracking match. The crowd indulge in more "oles!"

But then Nigel makes the elementary mistake of asking "When was the last time we won three in a week?" with 17 minutes to go. Schlupp immediately heads in from a corner.

Andy Carroll does well keeping the Palace defence occupied and Obiang replaces Anderson in a rare piece of caution from Pellegrini. There's still time for the improved Zabaleta to get stroppy with Zaha after the winger accuses him of diving and then four added minutes. Palace look a decent side but we hold on to huge cheers and then Twist and Shout. Nigel goes home to decorate his Christmas Tree a happy man.

Three wins in seven games and 21 points. We go tenth!

PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 6; Zabaleta 5, Diop 6, Balbuena 5, Masauku 6; Anderson 8 (Obiang 5), Noble 6, Rice 7, Snodgrass 7; Perez 5 (Carroll 6), Hernandez 7 (Diangana 5).