The hosts head into their first fixture of 2022 having just one defeat at home so far this season with much bigger challengers yet to come to Selhurst Park, starting with high flying West Ham who have once again impressed this season.
DATE
1st January 2022
KICK OFF
5.30pm
VENUE
Selhurst Park, Holmesdale Road, London SE25 6PU
LAST TIME
Almost a year to the day this fixture was last played, and it was the Hammers that returned across London happy, even though Wilfried Zaha gave Palace an early lead. That joy was short lived as man of the match Tomas Souceck scored a quick fire double to turn the game on its head before Craig Dawson effectively sealed the contest midway through the second half. Michy Batshuayi grabbed a late goal after coming off the bench but it was too little too late for the hosts.
WHO SCORED MAN OF THE MATCH – Tomas Soucek (9.0)
OFFICIALS
Referee: Michael Oliver. Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett. Fourth official: Darren England. VAR: Chris Kavanagh. Assistant VAR: James Mainwaring
TEAM NEWS
PALACE – Wilfried Zaha returns from suspension while there are question marks over James McArthur and Joachim Andersen. It is likely that Vieira will be unable to call upon Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise, Nathaniel Clyne or Conor Gallagher.
NORWICH – Kurt Zouma (thigh) misses out along with Angelo Ogbonna (knee), Pablo Fornals (knee) and Aaron Cresswell (back).
DISCIPLINARY
RED CARDS – Wilfried Zaha (1), Michail Antonio (1), Vladimir Coufal (1)
YELLOW CARDS (4+) – Declan Rice (5), Joel Ward (5), Conor Gallagher (4), Marc Guehi (4)
FORM GUIDE
Last FIVE meetings between the two sides;
- 28/08/21 West Ham 2-2 Palace
- 26/01/21 Palace 2-3 West Ham
- 16/12/20 West Ham 1-1 Palace
- 26/12/19 Palace 2-1 West Ham
- 05/10/19 West Ham 1-2 Palace
Last FIVE results for Palace:
- 28/12/21 Palace 3-0 Norwich
- 26/12/21 Spurs 3-0 Palace
- 15/12/21 Palace 2-2 Saints
- 12/12/21 Palace 3-1 Everton
- 05/12/21 United 1-0 Palace
Last FIVE results for West Ham;
- 28/12/21 Watford 1-4 West Ham
- 26/12/21 West Ham 2-3 Saints
- 22/12/21 Spurs 2-1 West Ham
- 15/12/21 Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
- 12/12/21 Burnley 0-0 West Ham
RECORD AGAINST WEST HAM
- Played 45
- Won 9
- Drawn 17
- Lost 19
FORM PLAYERS ACCORDING TO WHO SCORED
- Conor Gallagher 7.46
- Declan Rice 7.24
- Jarrod Bowen 7.22
- Will Hughes 6.97
ONE TO WATCH
JARROD BOWEN
FORMER CLUBS – Hereford United, Hull City
The former Palace transfer target has really hit some form of late for the Hammers as they recover from a sticky patch which has seen them fall away from the top four. However, a big away win at Watford this week which Bowen played a big part in shows just how dangerous they can be on the road.
KEY CLASH
ODSONNE EDUOARD v CRAIG DAWSON
This will be an intriguing battle as the Frenchman showed once again what he is capable of with those quick feet of his playing a big part in the victory over Norwich on Tuesday. He is up an aging defender who knows every trick in the book but has proved he still has what it takes to compete at the top level.
PRE-MATCH FACTS
- Palace have won just two of the past 13 league meetings
- Both sides have scored in each of the 9 most recent league encounters – but the team scoring first has failed to win any of those matches
- Palace’s only defeat in their 10 league home games this season came against Aston Villa
- The Eagles could score in 10 consecutive top-flight home fixtures for the second time, after a run of 12 in 1990
- Palace are in danger of equalling Bolton’s league record of 6 successive New Year’s Day matches without a win. Nonetheless, they are unbeaten in all 13 home league games played on 1 January (W7, D6)
- West Ham can win 10 of their opening 20 league matches in a season for only the second time
- Their only victory in the past 9 league away London derbies was 3-2 at Palace a year ago
- David Moyes has lost just once in his 13 league contests as a manager against Palace, winning 9
- Moyes has won 9 league fixtures on New Year’s Day, one shy of the record held jointly by Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger
- Said Benrahma has been directly involved in 8 goals in 19 Premier League games in 2021-22, one more than he managed in 30 games last season
- At 22 years and 352 days of age, Declan Rice is set to replace Mark Noble as the youngest West Ham player to reach 150 Premier League appearances for the club
PRE-MATCH STATS
- GOALS – Gallagher (6 – 15th in PL)
- ASSISTS – Edouard/ Gallagher (3 – 18th in PL)
- PASSES – Guehi (1154 – 9th in PL)
- TACKLES – Mitchell (55 – 1st in PL)
- TOUCHES – Ward (1382 – 8th in PL)
- SHOTS – Benteke (35 – 20th in PL)
- SAVES – Guaita (49 – 11th in PL)
DID YOU KNOW?
West Ham United are the last team to have won the FA Cup from outside the top division. They beat Arsenal in the final in 1980.
PREDICTION
Availability is going to be key going into this fixture with very little known about positive Covid test leading into the Saturday evening kick off. It is always a hard fought contest against the Hammers and this one is expected to be no different but we are going to go with the points being shared which both teams would probably take.
FINAL SCORE: 1-1
BETTING ODDS
- Home – 2/1
- Draw – 23/10
- Away – 13/10
- Both teams to score – 13/20
RESOURCES
