West Ham 3-2 Crystal Palace: Manuel Pellegrini targets top-six finish
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Felipe Anderson has scored six goals for West Ham since his summer move from Lazio
Manager Manuel Pellegrini challenged West Ham to push for a top-six Premier League finish after they came from behind to beat Crystal Palace at London Stadium.
Second-half goals from Robert Snodgrass and Javier Hernandez and a sublime finish from Felipe Anderson gave the Hammers a third consecutive league win.
Bottom of the table after losing their first four matches of the season, West Ham moved into the top half for the first time.
"We are now in position number 10, five points from sixth position," Pellegrini said.
"Maybe the first five teams have so many points that it's difficult, but we must go step by step and try to beat Fulham next week.
"I always look up. I never look down. I always tell the players they must have a winning mentality. They must decide to be a big team so we must be used to seeing what is happening in front of us."
James McArthur opened the scoring for Palace when prodding the ball past Lukasz Fabianski after reacting first to a James Tomkins knockdown.
But West Ham were a different proposition after the break. Snodgrass curled in an equaliser from just outside the penalty box and Hernandez put them ahead after Wayne Hennessey could only parry Anderson's free-kick.
West Ham's top scorer added a superb third, finding the top right corner from 20 yards - his sixth goal of the season.
Although Palace reduced the deficit courtesy of Jeffrey Schlupp's header, they fell to 16th in the table.
Improving Hammers win again
In the build-up to this contest, Pellegrini was at pains to point out the progress his side have made after their dismal start to the season.
Since then, their form has been more that of a top-six outfit, and they have now won three games in succession for the first time since December 2016.
Hammers deserved to beat Eagles - Manuel Pellegrini
Pellegrini's side have lost only once in seven outings and appear to be displaying the signs of a team that have hit their stride after integrating nine summer signings.
The balance and shape of the team is now established, allowing Anderson - recruited for a club record £36m from Lazio in the summer - to flourish.
A peripheral figure during the opening weeks, the Brazilian winger has become a key player and has scored five goals in his past six games.
He had more sprints than any other player on the pitch on Saturday (21), and his pace was a concern throughout to promising Palace full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Anderson delivered the coup de grace for West Ham, his effort proving decisive in the face of a Palace fightback.
Palace woes continue
Having made a bright start, Palace could have led 2-0 had Luka Milivojevic's wonderful free-kick not smashed against the crossbar at the end of the first half.
That proved a pivotal moment as West Ham overturned their one-goal deficit within three second-half minutes.
Roy Hodgson disappointed to concede three goals
Roy Hodgson's team have collected only one point and conceded 13 goals in their past six away games.
They simply had too few answers here, particularly in front of goal, mustering just four shots on target.
Wilfried Zaha looked bereft of confidence, twice passing up opportunities to shoot in favour of trying to work a better opening - losing possession on both occasions.
The Ivory Coast international has failed to score in 10 league matches.
There were pockets of good play and two goals - as many as they had managed in their previous 540 minutes of football - but all it delivered was a feel of respectability to the final score.
"We lost. I am not sure what assessment to make," Hodgson said.
"After they equalised we started to play better and had good control, but after the free-kick and strike from Anderson we find ourselves 3-1 down.
"We continued to ask questions but the two goals after the equaliser did for us."
Man of the match - Felipe Anderson (West Ham)
Felipe Anderson touched the ball 69 times, more than any other attacking player. Those touches included his contribution to West Ham's second goal and his wonderful strike for their third.
Hernandez is a fox in the box - the stats
West Ham have won three consecutive top-flight matches whilst scoring 3+ goals in each game for the first time since October 1982.
West Ham have come from behind to win a Premier League game for the first time since their first match of 2018 against West Brom.
All 49 of Javier Hernandez's Premier League goals have come from inside the box. Only Tim Cahill (56) has scored more with 100% coming from inside the penalty area.
This was Crystal Palace's 50th defeat in a Premier League London derby in their 91st such match, the fastest London club to reach that total in the competition, overtaking Fulham's 99 games.
This was West Ham's first win in a London derby in the Premier League since they beat Chelsea 1-0 on 9 December 2017, 364 days ago.
Crystal Palace have picked up just 12 points after 16 Premier League games this season. Only last season have they had fewer (11) after 16 games of a top-flight season in the era of three points for a win.
Robert Snodgrass scored his first Premier League goal for West Ham, and his first for any club since January 2017, when he scored for Hull against West Brom, 705 days ago.
Felipe Anderson has scored five goals in his last six league games, as many as his previous 34 combined for both the Hammers and Lazio.
James McArthur's opener was Crystal Palace's earliest goal scored in a Premier League game this season (on 5:41), with Wilfried Zaha against Brighton in April 2018 (4:39) the last to score a faster goal for the Eagles in the competition.
What's next?
West Ham's next Premier League assignment is away at Fulham on Saturday 15 December (17:30 GMT).
Crystal Palace welcome Leicester to Selhurst Park for their next Premier League match, also on Saturday 15 December (15:00 GMT)