Londoners West Ham United and Crystal Palace head into this weekend's Premier League match at the Boleyn Ground needing wins for very different reasons.
The hosts have a real chance of finishing in the top four this season, while Palace are in desperate need of three points to put a stop to their slide down the table.
West Ham
© Getty Images
West Ham have never finished a Premier League season with a positive goal difference, but that looks set to change this season with the club currently +12 in the GD column and chasing an unlikely top-four finish.
Slaven Bilic's side are unbeaten in five in the league and almost reeled off a four-game winning streak before the international break. They would be sitting fourth now had Chelsea not won a penalty – that Bilic slammed after the match – which earned the Blues a 2-2 draw.
Still, fifth place and just a point behind Manchester City heading into the final eight games of the season is impressive and West Ham might even have loftier ambitions with Arsenal just five points better off in third.
Dimitri Payet has been the star of the show most weeks for the Hammers and since the start of last season, the Frenchman has created 221 chances, more than any other player in the top five European leagues in that time.
Payet, who marked his 29th birthday with a trademark free kick for France on Tuesday, has an assist in each of his last three top-flight appearances.
A week after Palace, the season really hots up for West Ham as they host Arsenal before a midweek visit from Manchester United for a spot in the FA Cup semi-finals and then a trip to front-running Leicester.
Recent Premier League form: LDWWWD
Recent form (all competitions): WWWWDD
Crystal Palace
© Getty Images
Alan Pardew's Palace sat fifth in the Premier League at the end of 2015, but since then they have dropped to 16th due to a woeful run of form.
They are the only side in the top four tiers yet to win in 2016 and have picked up just two points since the turn of the year.
Last time out they were edged out at home by surprise league leaders Leicester, making it 13 without a win in the league and just nine goals in that time.
The gap to the bottom three is still seven points and Palace do have a game in hand on Norwich below them, but nerves will be jangling in South London should the slide continue with Norwich, Newcastle United and Sunderland all improving a little of late.
Their form in the league has been shocking in 2016, but Palace are through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time in over 20 years this season and face Watford in what will be considered a winnable semi later this month.
Recent Premier League form: DLLDLL
Recent form (all competitions): WLDLWL
Team News
© Getty Images
James Tomkins is back for the Hammers and could start at right-back, with only James Collins and Sam Byram out injured.
Bilic said that he was happy to see so many of his team away on international duty, but Enner Valencia, Cheikhou Kouyate and Victor Moses only returned from long trips today and are unlikely to feature from the start tomorrow.
Pardew confirmed yesterday that Yohan Cabaye, Mile Jedinak and Emmanuel Adebayor are all carrying knocks and were doubtful for the trip to the Boleyn.
Connor Wickham (adductor), James McArthur (ankle) and Marouane Chamakh (hip) are still recovering from injuries and will not feature.
West Ham possible starting lineup:
Adrian; Tomkins, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Kouyate, Noble; Antonio, Lanzini, Payet; Sakho
Palace possible starting lineup:
Hennessey; Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare; Cabaye, Ledley; Zaha, Puncheon, Bolasie; Adebayor
Head To Head
Palace have won the last two meetings at Upton Park, but the reverse fixture resulted in a 3-1 West Ham win in October. Payet capped the victory with a stoppage-time strike, while fellow France midfielder Yohan Cabaye scored from the spot for Palace and has three goals in his last two matches against West Ham.
In fact, the last three Premier League meetings between West Ham and Crystal Palace have ended as 3-1 away wins.
The two sides have met nine times in the Premier League with both winning four and drawing one.
The Dugout Podcast
Hit play below to listen to Sports Mole's new podcast 'The Dugout' for our take on the week's biggest football talking points:
We say: West Ham 2-0 Palace
Palace need some points to ease any relegation worries, but they might not come this weekend against a West Ham side full of confidence chasing an unlikely top-four finish.
Pascal Lemesre
