CRYSTAL PALACE
Premier League, Selhurst Park, Saturday 24 August 2024, 3pm BST
Just three weeks after meeting in the heat and humidity of Tampa, Florida, in the Stateside Cup, West Ham United and Crystal Palace will clash again, but with three Premier League points at stake this time around.
The Hammers were humbled 5-2 at Selhurst Park on the most-recent visit back in April this year, as the Eagles soared to an eleven-match unbeaten run to finish the 2023/24 season.
The man who oversaw that impressive record remains in charge, unsurprisingly. He is Austrian Oliver Glasner, who was appointed in February and led the south Londoners to their joint-highest Premier League finish of tenth. The 49-year-old had previously coached Eintracht Frankfurt to victory over the Hammers in the 2021/22 UEFA Europa League semi-finals, then led the Germans to glory by beating Rangers in the final.
Since then, of course, West Ham have replaced their own man in the dugout, with this game marking Julen Lopetegui’s first competitive away match of his tenure as Head Coach.
Despite their respective experience, this will be the first time Lopetegui and Glasner have locked horns.
The 2,687 West Ham fans who head to Selhurst Park will be situated in the Arthur Wait Stand, which is accessible from Park Road.
How to get there…
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.
Where to stay…
It is highly unlikely you will be staying overnight in south London, unless you’ve travelled a long distance to be at the game.
While the area around Selhurst Park itself is a bit short of accommodation options, Croydon has a number of larger hotels, while central London is only a shortish train ride away.
What to do…
Boasting sweeping views of London from its high vantage point, Crystal Palace is home to antique shops, hip cafes and a park filled with the world’s oldest dinosaur sculptures in Crystal Palace Park.
If you fancy a pre-match pint, the most popular spot for away fans is the Prince George, which is a ten-minute walk from the stadium on the corner between High Street and White Horse Lane. An alternative is The Railway Telegraph near to Thornton Heath station.
Obviously, central London and its myriad of attractions are near enough to visit.
What’s happened there before…
West Ham United have not enjoyed the most-recent visits to Crystal Palace, being thrashed 5-2 last season and 4-3 in April 2023.
The Hammers had won 3-2 at Selhurst Park in each of the previous two seasons, 2020/21 and 2021/22, with Manuel Lanzini scoring twice in the latter, including the Club’s Goal of the Season, and Tomáš Souček netting twice in the former.
We also scored Premier League wins at Selhurst Park in October 2016, when Lanzini netted the only goal, October 2015, when Dimitri Payet was at his brilliant best in a 3-1 victory, and August 2014, when Carlton Cole was among the scorers in a 3-1 success.
Our biggest-ever league win at Selhurst Park was the 3-0 victory we achieved in October 1971, when 17-year-old debutant Ade Coker was on the scoresheet alongside Clyde Best and Billy Bonds.
