Crystal Palace v West Ham United
Premier League, Selhurst Park, Saturday 24 August 2024, 3pm BST
West Ham United return to Premier League action for a first away fixture of the 2024/25 campaign on Saturday against Crystal Palace.
Both West Ham and Palace were on the wrong end of 2-1 defeats in their respective opening-day clashes, with the Irons being defeated at home to Aston Villa, while the south Londoners were beaten away to Brentford.
Those results put the Hammers and the Eagles in the middle pack in the Premier League, and both will be eager to record their first win of the season at the second attempt.
Having met just three weeks ago in Tampa, Florida, in the Stateside Cup, West Ham and Crystal Palace will lock horns again, with early points up for grabs at Selhurst Park.
Tickets…
West Ham fans are advised that the Club’s allocation of 2,687 tickets have sold out.
The first 90 per cent of tickets sold out to Bondholders and Season Ticket Holders with 22+ Loyalty Points. The remaining ten per cent (268 tickets) were then sold by a ballot process, open to Season Ticket Holders who had yet to purchase for this fixture. The ballot closed at 12noon on Tuesday 30 July.
Tickets for this fixture will be issued as digital tickets. This replicates the same process when using your Season Card via your mobile device to access London Stadium for home matches.
Travel…
Take public transport!
South London is a nightmare to drive around and parking in the vicinity of Selhurst Park is also extremely limited, so let the train take the strain.
The nearest stations are Selhurst, Thornton Heath or Norwood Junction, all of which are served by London Victoria services and are within ten-15 minutes’ walk of the ground. Both Thornton Heath and Norwood Junction are also served by trains from London Bridge.
London Overground services, which interchange with London Underground Jubilee line services at Canada Water and Elizabeth, District and Hammersmith and City line services at Whitechapel, also serve Norwood Junction.
How To Follow…
Saturday’s 3pm kick-off will NOT be broadcast live in the UK, but will be shown across the world by the Premier League’s international broadcast partners.
If you live outside the UK, click HERE for details of Premier League listings in your territory.
You can follow the action via our live blog on whufc.com and our app, and across our social media channels. We will also have highlights and exclusive reaction for you after the final whistle on our website and social media.
Live audio commentary will be available in the UK on BBC Radio London, and worldwide on our official website and app.
Team News…
Joachim Andersen will unlikely be involved for Palace as he reportedly closes in on a move to Premier League rivals Fulham. Matheus Franca is believed to be the only fitness concern at this stage for Oliver Glasner’s side.
Julen Lopetegui's only potential absentee is likely to be Edson Álvarez, who suffered a hamstring injury at the Copa América which kept the midfielder out of pre-season and the season opener against Aston Villa, so the 26-year-old will be assessed ahead of the Hammers’ first away game of the 2024/25 campaign.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luis Guilherme are two potential debutants, while Jean-Clair Todibo, Crysencio Summerville and Niclas Füllkrug could be handed first starts in Claret and Blue, having come off the bench against Villa.
Opposition...
Crystal Palace were the Premier League’s most eye-catching and in-form side at the end of last season, scoring six wins while going unbeaten in their final seven games.
After Roy Hodgson departed the Palace dugout for the second time in February 2024, former VfL Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt manager Oliver Glasner was tasked with turning things around in south London.
At that point, Palace were embroiled in a relegation battle after just three wins in 19 matches across all competitions, but the Austrian impressed with his management style and galvanised the Eagles’ survival bid, finishing tenth in the Premier League, one place behind West Ham.
After the way the previous campaign finished, there is understandably real hope and excitement about the new season, and despite a relatively quiet transfer window so far, it has barely dampened the mood at Selhurst Park.
The departure of French youth international Michael Olise to Bayern Munich would’ve hit hard, but an unbeaten pre-season showed some signs of promise, including a 3-1 win over West Ham. Olise is the only notable departure to date, however, and Palace are still in a strong position and have talent in abundance across all areas of the pitch, with the likes of Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi and Adam Wharton just a few of the names who are likely to have an instrumental part to play throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
Crystal Palace have brought in three players so far this summer – midfielder Daichi Kamada from Lazio, winger Ismaïla Sarr from French club Olympique de Marseille and Moroccan defender Chadi Riad from FC Barcelona, as the Eagles look towards a bright future under Glasner.
Previous Meetings…
West Ham and Crystal Palace have met 68 times in all competitions to date.
Prior to the meeting in the heat and humidity of Tampa, Florida, at the beginning of the month, the previous 22 meetings have come in the Premier League, ever since the Irons’ return to the top-flight via the Play-Offs in the 2011/12 season.
The Hammers boast a good run of form when visiting south London, having lost only four out of their last ten fixtures at Selhurst Park.
However, West Ham were humbled 5-2 there on the most-recent visit back in April this year.
The Hammers' record win over Crystal Palace came back in March 1923, when they were 5-1 victors on the road.
Match Officials…
Referee: Rob Jones
Assistant Referees: Ian Hussin and Neil Davies
Fourth Official: Andy Davies
VAR: Paul Tierney
Assistant VAR: Wade Smith
Rob Jones has been confirmed as the referee for West Ham United’s first London derby of the fresh 2024/25 Premier League season.
A referee in the English Football League since 2016, the 37-year-old Merseysider took charge of his first top-flight clash in December 2019, and was promoted to Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) Select Group One ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.
Jones has been the man in the middle at three finals during his career so far, the last of which was Wycombe Wanderers’ victory over Oxford United in the EFL League One Play-Off final in July 2020, little under a year after he refereed Oxford’s shock win over West Ham in the third round of the EFL Cup.
In total, Jones has held the whistle at six games involving the Hammers, most recently last term’s dramatic 4-3 defeat at the hands of Newcastle United at St James’ Park, in March 2024.
He has already overseen three matches in 2024/25, following up clashes in UEFA Champions League and Europa League qualifying by refereeing Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Fulham on Friday 16 August in the first match of the new Premier League campaign.
For more information about the officials, click HERE.
