Hammers raid Palace for three points

Crystal Palace 2 West Ham 3

West Ham start badly in south London. Palace should be 1-0 up after a couple of minutes as Ayew crosses and Schlupp scuffs his shot against the base of the post. Yet after surviving the early Palace pressure it's West Ham who strike. Johnson is getting crosses in from the left and Guaita has already had to make a fine double save from Antonio and Benrahma. After 22 minutes Said Benrahma whips in a wicked low cross that is so good might have come from the boot of Kevin De Bruyne. Antonio simply has to deflect it past the keeper.

The Irons go two goals up after a typical Rice surge finds Lanzini, who takes three brilliant touches and half-volleys it into the roof of the net. Manuel is back... Benteke goes close and Edouard hits the bar, to remind us all that Palace are not playing badly. 

But just before the break West Ham benefit from a silly handball by Milivojevic and a VAR decision for a penalty. Lanzini strokes it home and 3-0 at the break looks unassailable.

Strangely Moyes decides to replace Johnson with Masuaku at the break. The Hammers don't have such a good second half, sitting back on their lead, though Antonio does go close with a spin and shot. It gets more worrying when Olise comes on and Arthur doesn't know what to do with him. The promising youngster crosses for Edouard to score on 83 minutes. Then Diop gives away a stupid free kick. Fabianski, like the Clash, doesn't know whether to stay or go, and Olise's free kick sails straight in. Palace almost equalise at the death when Mateta's brilliant overhead kick goes just wide.

But WHU hold out and it's still another away win. The side's tiredness in the second half is perhaps understandable after so many games in December and Diop and Dawson have been asked to play a lot of games together on the spin. We're back to fifth and one point behind Arsenal after 20 games. Reinforcements are still needed, but the race for fourth spot is still on. Irons!