Premier League: Eagles and Hammers Search for Their First Win in 2024-25

Crystal Palace vs West Ham United

Crystal Palace and West Ham United find themselves at the bottom half of the Premier League table following their opening day losses, so both are keen to bounce back when they convene at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

The Eagles suffered a 2-1 defeat against Brentford in their latest London Derby, while the Hammers are also fresh from the same result against Aston Villa in a battle of two clubs that don the Claret and Blue uniforms.

Both teams have dealt with fitness concerns in the past few days, so Crystal Palace and West Ham United are hoping to have healthier squads ahead of this clash.

Football fans should expect nothing less from this fixture, and SBOTOP is here to provide the match preview.

Talking Points

Crystal Palace need a 100-per cent fit Mateta

The Eagles were unable to pick up the momentum they’ve built since the end of last season because some of their players were far from their physical best against Brentford.

One of them was their striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, who was subbed off by Oliver Glasner at halftime in favour of Odsonne Edouard.

Mateta bagged 16 Premier League goals for Crystal Palace last season. He’s had a busy summer competing in the Paris Olympics, securing the silver medal for France in the process, so he may have had tired legs.

Edouard looked lively when he replaced Mateta in the second half, but the Eagles ultimately fell short, as Yoane Wissa scored the winning goal in the 76^th minute after Ethan Pinnock’s own goal 16 minutes earlier.

Glasner said during the postgame press conference that he is hoping to have Mateta back at his best. And if he does, Crystal Palace are a sneaky fun team to watch this season.

Meanwhile, with Joachim Andersen moving to Fulham, Jeffrey Schlupp and Nathaniel Clyne are in line for a start to join the in-demand Marc Guehi and Chris Richards in the Eagles’ three-man backline.

Alvarez’s impending return is huge for West Ham United

West Ham United boss Julen Lopetegui will be thrilled with the injury boost he has received, as Edson Alvarez is expected to rejoin the squad this week, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Alvarez suffered a major hamstring injury during the Copa America while playing for Mexico in late June, so this new development is certainly great news for the Hammers.

While Alvarez’s comeback feels like a new signing, West Ham United have actually made moves this summer, with the acquisitions of Jean-Clair Todibo, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Niclas Fullkrug, Guido Rodriguez, and Crysencio Summerville.

None of them started against Aston Villa last time out, so perhaps Lopetegui might be considering it just to give the squad a different look.

Either way, West Ham United’s star men are Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paqueta, who were solid against the Villans in the loss.

History

Crystal Palace and West Ham United last met earlier this month in a Club Friendly at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL, where the Eagles won 3-1.

In the Premier League last season, these two sides shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw in December before Crystal Palace won the reverse fixture with a score of 5-2 in April, which featured four different scorers and two own goals.

The Eagles have won their last two Premier League home matches against the Hammers, who have won only one of their previous eight visits at Selhurst Park (D2, L5).

The last four Premier League encounters between Crystal Palace and West Ham United at Selhurst Park have produced a whopping 24 goals (13 for the Eagles and 11 for the Hammers) at an average of six per contest.

Betting Tip

The Premier League 2024 odds expect a tight contest between Crystal Palace and West Ham United. Crystal Palace are priced to win at 2.19, but West Ham United aren’t far behind at 2.99, and a draw is at 3.22 in the 1X2 market.

We’re not sure who will take all three points, but we’re confident that this match will feature several Premier League 2024 highlights. So, other than our recommended bet above, you can opt for alternatives like Over 2.75 at 2.05, Over 3.00 at 2.33, or Total Goals 4-6 at 2.93.

If you’re on the safer side, then Total Goals 2-3 at 1.94 is not a bad idea.

Furthermore, a Correct Score of 3-1 in favour of the Eagles – the result of their previous matchup not too long ago – is pegged at 17.00, which is also something to keep an eye on.

 

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