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West Ham United survived a late fightback by Crystal Palace to start the new year with a narrow Premier League victory at Selhurst Park.
The three points move David Moyes' side back up to fifth in the table above Tottenham Hotspur, who had claimed an added-time winner at Watford earlier on Saturday.
The Hammers were aided by wasteful finishing from the home side and were clinical in front of goal themselves as they netted three times in the first half.
Palace winger Jeffrey Schlupp swivelled and struck the post from a promising position after just 46 seconds and Odsonne Edouard rattled the crossbar with a first-time effort.
But in between West Ham capitalised on Palace's profligacy as Michail Antonio slid in to convert Said Benrahma's delightful cross midway through the half.
The visitors doubled their lead within three minutes courtesy of Manuel Lanzini's neat footwork and thumping finish.
On the stroke of half time, referee Darren England awarded a penalty against Palace skipper Luka Milivojevic for handball after reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor, and Lanzini confidently converted it.
The hosts pulled a goal back seven minutes from time when Edouard poked home Michael Olise's cross and the substitute then also curled a late free-kick in for Palace's second - but they could not find a dramatic equaliser.
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Moyes' happy new year
Patrick Vieira missed his side's last two games as he isolated after testing positive for Covid-19 so it was a miserable first 45 minutes back in the dugout for the Palace boss as his team conceded three first-half goals.
The Frenchman has guided his new club to a solid first half of the season but will be unhappy with the manner in which they lost their second home game of the campaign.
No defender tracked Antonio's run for the first goal and his midfield failed to match a burst forward by Declan Rice - on his 150th Premier League appearance - to set up the second while skipper Milivojevic was culpable for the third.
The victory was West Ham boss Moyes' 10th on 1 January, equalling the record held by managerial legends Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.
The Hammers also emulated the feat of securing 10 victories from their opening 20 games last season, when they eventually finished sixth, and they are again challenging for a Champions League spot.
Palace, meanwhile, stay in 11th place but players and fans can take heart from a good offensive display and the fact they almost completed a remarkable second-half turnaround.
Edouard had already hit the woodwork and fired wide from a promising position before the Frenchman deservedly scored to begin an unlikely fightback.
On 90 minutes, Olise then swung in a cross from the right which sailed all the way in to give a raucous crowd hope of a sensational equaliser and they nearly got exactly that from a stunning acrobatic effort from Jean-Philippe Mateta which flew just wide.
Player of the match
LanziniManuel Lanzini
with an average of 8.12
Crystal Palace
Squad number7Player nameOlise
Squad number22Player nameÉdouard
Squad number9Player nameJ Ayew
Squad number12Player nameHughes
Squad number3Player nameMitchell
Squad number13Player nameGuaita
Squad number14Player nameMateta
Squad number15Player nameSchlupp
Squad number16Player nameAndersen
Squad number2Player nameWard
Squad number44Player nameRiedewald
Squad number20Player nameBenteke
Squad number6Player nameGuéhi
Squad number4Player nameMilivojevic
West Ham United
Squad number10Player nameLanzini
Squad number9Player nameAntonio
Squad number41Player nameRice
Squad number22Player nameBenrahma
Squad number1Player nameFabianski
Squad number20Player nameBowen
Squad number28Player nameSoucek
Squad number5Player nameCoufal
Squad number15Player nameDawson
Squad number31Player nameJohnson
Squad number11Player nameVlasic
Squad number16Player nameNoble
Squad number23Player nameDiop
Squad number26Player nameMasuaku
Line-ups
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-3-3
- 13Guaita
- 2Ward
- 16Andersen
- 6Guéhi
- 3Mitchell
- 15Schlupp
- 4MilivojevicSubstituted forMatetaat 60'minutes
- 12HughesSubstituted forRiedewaldat 75'minutes
- 9J Ayew
- 20BentekeSubstituted forOliseat 68'minutes
- 22Édouard
Substitutes
- 1Butland
- 5Tomkins
- 7Olise
- 10Eze
- 14Mateta
- 19Matthews
- 34Kelly
- 44Riedewald
West Ham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Fabianski
- 5Coufal
- 15Dawson
- 23Diop
- 31JohnsonBooked at 38minsSubstituted forMasuakuat 45'minutesBooked at 78mins
- 41Rice
- 28Soucek
- 20Bowen
- 10LanziniSubstituted forNobleat 89'minutes
- 22BenrahmaSubstituted forVlasicat 71'minutes
- 9Antonio
Substitutes
- 7Yarmolenko
- 11Vlasic
- 13Areola
- 16Noble
- 24Fredericks
- 26Masuaku
- 33Král
- 40Oko-Flex
- 42Alese
Referee:Darren England
Attendance:24,351
Live Text
Match ends, Crystal Palace 2, West Ham United 3.
Second Half ends, Crystal Palace 2, West Ham United 3.
Attempt missed. Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Jeffrey Schlupp.
Hand ball by Michail Antonio (West Ham United).
Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Michail Antonio (West Ham United).
Goal! Crystal Palace 2, West Ham United 3. Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) from a free kick with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Issa Diop (West Ham United).
Substitution, West Ham United. Mark Noble replaces Manuel Lanzini.
Foul by Odsonne Édouard (Crystal Palace).
Craig Dawson (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal! Crystal Palace 1, West Ham United 3. Odsonne Édouard (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Michael Olise with a cross.
Foul by Joel Ward (Crystal Palace).
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Issa Diop.
Attempt blocked. Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tyrick Mitchell.
Arthur Masuaku (West Ham United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Michael Olise (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Arthur Masuaku (West Ham United).
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