West Ham United 1-1 Stoke City
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Andy Carroll was returning from over three months out with an ankle injury
Stoke City boss Paul Lambert said he "can't ask for any more effort" from his players after Andy Carroll's dramatic late equaliser for West Ham took the Potters closer to relegation.
The Hammers are now seven points clear of the relegation zone, with Stoke five points adrift of safety with four games left.
Stoke looked set for a first win in 10 games when Peter Crouch took advantage of Joe Hart's fumble to score.
But fellow substitute Carroll, in his first appearance since January, volleyed home a last-minute equaliser from Aaron Cresswell's cross.
Despite only winning the first of his 11 games in charge since replacing the sacked Mark Hughes in January, Lambert thinks his side would be certainties to stay up if they had played like this for the whole of the campaign.
"If the team had been playing like that at the start of the season, I wouldn't be here - and they wouldn't be in the position they're in," he said.
"I still think we need three wins. If we can get a little break on Sunday against Burnley, we're certainly in with a fight."
West Ham 1-1 Stoke: Paul Lambert can't ask for any more effort from Potters
The Hammers thought they had won the game when Javier Hernandez scored in injury time, but it was disallowed for a Carroll handball in the build-up.
It was the third goal they had ruled out in the game. On the first occasion, Marko Arnautovic was offside when he headed home - and then he was interfering with play from Edimilson Fernandes' shot.
All three decisions were correct calls by referee Michael Oliver, following a difficult few days in which he and his wife have been abused after he awarded Real Madrid a last-minute penalty against Juventus and sent off Gianluigi Buffon in the Champions League on Wednesday.
With both sides' Premier League places in jeopardy, it was a hotly contested game for the official to deal with - the match produced 36 fouls, the joint-highest in a Premier League game this season.
"I think he is a really top referee," said Lambert. "He got unfairly criticised from a lot of quarters. He had a good game today."
Is Stoke's 10-year Premier League stay coming to an end?
Peter Crouch has now scored more Premier League goals than any other Stoke player, with 44
Stoke City felt they were unlucky in recent defeats by Arsenal and Tottenham, and manager Lambert said before the game they had to get "something" at London Stadium. But this will feel like another loss, having come so close to only a second win in his reign.
They did not have too many clear goalscoring chances with Ramadan Sobhi, Moritz Bauer and Mame Biram Diouf all producing straightforward saves from Joe Hart in the first half.
Stoke's best chance - bar the goal - came moments after Arnautovic's disallowed goal when Diouf blazed over from six yards out.
Lambert had to be brave and he was when he brought on 37-year-old Crouch for Bauer, who was playing in midfield but is usually a defender.
It looked as if it had paid off in some style when Hart spilled Xherdan Shaqiri's shot and Crouch turned in from close range.
Stoke have been in the Premier League for 10 years - and Crouch's goal made him the Potters' top scorer in that spell, with strike number 44 taking him past Jon Walters.
But unless they have a turnaround in fortune in the final four games, he will not have many more chances to extend that record.
Has Carroll saved West Ham?
England boss Gareth Southgate was watching both goalkeepers - Joe Hart and Jack Butland. Hart's fumble will not have impressed him
West Ham are now seven points above the relegation zone - it would have been four but for Carroll's late intervention.
Just as Lambert gambled to bring on Crouch, Hammers boss David Moyes did the same when he introduced the England striker, who had not played since January because of an ankle injury, in the 86th minute.
Four minutes later, the 29-year-old was celebrating an excellent equaliser as he swung a boot at Cresswell's cross from near the penalty spot.
All of the Hammers' three disallowed goals seemed fair decisions. Arnautovic, a former Potters player, was just offside when he headed in Cresswell's shot.
He was then standing in Jack Butland's eyeline when Fernandes scored from distance. And Carroll did appear to control the ball with his arm before laying it off to fellow substitute Hernandez.
'We bossed the majority of the game'
West Ham are now on 35 points, and Moyes is setting a target of 40 for survival.
"We certainly didn't deserve to lose," he said. "If we did, the football gods really would be against us. We bossed the majority of the game. In the main, we played well and were on top when they got their goal.
"I'm pleased we have got people off the bench who can make a difference - we've not always had the depth this season. I thought Javier Hernandez and Manuel Lanzini helped, all the players have played well.
"Joe Hart faced a few similar shots in the first half and he gathered them easily, so it is unfortunate that one bounced up and caught him out [for Crouch's goal]. Up until then we hadn't been threatened a whole lot.
"You always think 40 points is safe. A lot of clubs look like they will not be able to get that, hopefully we do as soon as we can."
West Ham 1-1 Stoke: Hammers substitutes made the difference - David Moyes
'Tonight will cement the loss of Stoke's Premier League status'
BBC Radio 5 live's Chris Sutton, former Blackburn and Celtic striker
David Moyes has done a good, steady job at West Ham. You only have to look at what he took on. They just have to get to the end of the season and however they stay up - by a goal or whatever - write this season off and go again. He should be given the opportunity to go again next season.
Their injury list has been unprecedented this season. They have been patched up, scrapping and scrambling. Staying in the Premier League would be a triumph.
It may have been a risk putting Andy Carroll on the bench, he has been out 13 games. It showed it was the right call. A fit Carroll is a handful for most defences. There were brave calls from both managers, but they both got them right.
Paul Lambert will be despairing. What an opportunity - ahead in the last few minutes. It is two points lost and I think tonight will cement the loss of their Premier League status.
Man of the match - Aaron Cresswell (West Ham)
West Ham left-back Aaron Cresswell caused Stoke plenty of problems down the left wing, assisting both Carroll's goal and Arnautovic's ruled-out effort (Hammers playing from left to right in this touch map)
Post-match stats - Stoke's London woes
West Ham have lost only one of their past seven home games in the Premier League (W3 D3), having lost three of the six before that (W1 D2)
Stoke are without a win on their last 19 Premier League visits to London, drawing seven and losing 12.
The 36 fouls is the joint-highest tally in a Premier League game this season with Chelsea v Man Utd on 5 November.
Crouch is now on 16 substitute goals in the Premier League (level with Javier Hernandez); only four players have more (Defoe 24, Giroud 19, Kanu 17 and Solskjaer 17).
Andy Carroll has scored three goals in his last three Premier League appearances.
What's next?
Stoke City are at home to Europa League-chasing Burnley on Sunday (13:30 BST), while West Ham visit Arsenal at the same time.