Preview: West Ham United vs. Crystal Palace

West Ham United play the second of four successive London derbies when they host Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime.

The Hammers drew 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur last weekend and have capital giants Chelsea and Arsenal to come at the beginning of next month.

Only a 96th-minute equaliser denied them victory at White Hart Lane, with Harry Kane converting the rebound of his Adrian-saved penalty.

Conceding stoppage-time goals is hampering West Ham's European push as they also saw three points slip through their fingers against Manchester United a fortnight ago.

Three consecutive top-flight draws mean that the Hammers are now winless in five games in all competitions and five points off the pace in the race for Europe.

With Chelsea and Arsenal coming up, now is not the time for them to be losing form and a couple more barren weeks would see them condemned to a mid-table finish that would likely spell the end of Sam Allardyce's hopes of getting a new contract at the end of the season.

Results have not quite been going Palace's way of late either, but Alan Pardew is undeterred and admitted after the 2-1 loss to Arsenal last weekend that he had never been so fulfilled by a defeat in his 16-year managerial career.

The Eagles were unfortunate to be down 2-0 at half time as Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud scored against the run of play, and Glenn Murray nearly salvaged them a point when he hit the post moments after his late reply.

On-loan striker Yaya Sanogo was ineligible for the game at Selhurst Park, but comes back into the reckoning here and could start as the centre-forward with both Marouane Chamakh and Fraizer Campbell carrying knocks.

Yannick Bolasie should also return to the lineup after a lively cameo off the bench against the Gunners. Wilfried Zaha was less impressive and could pay for his frustrating lack of end product with his place in the team at Upton Park.

Pardew has a selection dilemma in midfield, with both captain Mile Jedinak and James McArthur back to full fitness to compete with the likes of Joe Ledley and £5m signing Jordon Mutch for positions in the centre of the field.

Allardyce has fewer options to choose from so should stick with an unchanged side, with Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho forming the strike partnership despite the Ecuadorian being without a league goal since November.

Carlton Cole picked up a hamstring strain as a substitute against Spurs and joins Andy Carroll in the treatment room. Morgan Amalfitano is serving the last game of his three-match suspension and thus is also unavailable.

Academy graduate Mark Noble, who made his West Ham debut when Pardew was manager at the Boleyn Ground, extended his contract with the club this week and will skipper them from a diamond-midfield formation.

Palace could go eight points clear of the relegation zone if they can win at the Hammers for the second time in a row.

West Ham:

Form in Premier League: DWLDDD Form in all competitions: WLDDLD

Possible starting lineup: Adrian; Jenkinson, Tomkins, Reid, Cresswell; Song, Kouyate, Noble; Downing; Sakho, Valencia

Palace:

Form in Premier League: WWLWDL Form in all competitions: WLWDLL

Possible starting lineup: Speroni; Ward, Dann, Hangeland, Souare; Bolasie, Jedinak, Ledley, Puncheon; Gayle, Sanogo

Sports Mole says: 2-2