Jarrod Bowen was the standout performer, Graham Potter’s team selection was questioned, and West Ham United conceded another set-piece goal.
Just your standard weekend at the London Stadium, then.
In the most typical of West Ham United defeats, the home side fell behind to a Jean-Philippe Mateta header from a Crystal Palace corner as £40 million centre-back Max Kilman committed the cardinal sin of being outjumped inside his own six yard box.
That, by the way, is the seventh set-piece goal the Hammers have conceded this season already. Palace boss Oliver Glasner highlighted that weakness pre-match. It took his team only 37 minutes to expose that old Achilles heel.
Captain Jarrod Bowen headed home a Malick Diouf delivery as West Ham equalised via a corner of their own, but any riposte for Graham Potter would be very short-lived.
Just days after vice-chair Karren Brady held talks with Nuno Espirito Santo – the former Nottingham Forest boss continues to loom ominously over his likely predecessor – Hammers legend Tony Gale watched on from the commentary booth as the boos rang out.
Photo by MB Media/Getty ImagesTony Gale highlights ‘strange’ Graham Potter decisions as Crystal Palace beat West Ham United
On an afternoon where the West Ham faithful directed their ire towards David Sullivan and the aforementioned Brady, Potter would not escape his share of the blame.
The Hammers were booed off at half-time, when 1-0 down, and at full-time too following Tyrick Mitchell’s stunning volleyed winner on 68 minutes. Some of the loudest jeers could be heard as Mateus Fernandes walked off the pitch, though.
Potter’s decision to remove one of West Ham’s few creative talents at 2-1 behind earning the beleaguered boss a furious response.
“[Fernandes] has been a breath of fresh air. I watched that [3-0 win over Nottingham] Forest, he was a revelation,” says Gale, who made over 300 appearances for the Hammers between 1984 and 1994.
“I think they’ve made some good signings, to be fair. Diouf, Fernandes, [Soungoutou] Magassa, [Kyle] Walker-Peters. But, as always, you’ve got to get results.
“[Taking Fernandes off when they needed a goal was] a strange one.”
Speaking of Magassa, the £14 million signing from Monaco was limited to another cameo appearance off the bench. With James Ward-Prowse again anonymous – if there is ever another Invisible Man re-make, we’d recommend booking an audition – next week’s trip to David Moyes’ Everton simply must herald Magassa’s full debut in a West Ham shirt.
“I’m surprised that young man didn’t start, really,” Gale adds, though he did show some sympathy towards a coach whose position is now starting to feel untenable. “Potter must be wondering what he has to do to win a game at the London Stadium.
“Missed chances, good goalkeeping at the other end, and then the sucker punch [of Mitchell’s winner].”
Gale baffled after seeing Lucas Paqueta in his own penalty box
Gale was left particularly bemused as Lucas Paqueta popped up inside his own box in stoppage time as Crystal Palace threatened to score a third on the break. This was, in truth, a typical Paqueta performance in claret and blue.
A few clever flicks and highlight reel moments, undermined by a general lack of involvement in key moments when they needed his game-breaking talents the most.
“[Centre-back] Kilman was nowhere to be seen,” Gale laughs ruefully. “And you end up with your most creative midfielder as a sweeper!”