Liverpool have come dressed as 11 lollipop men. Or crossing guards as I'm told they are officially known these days. The Reds are wearing that awful luminous green kit. 

Despite Dejan Lovren being clearly visible, Simon Mignolet clatters his team-mate as he collects a high, hanging cross from the left.

Image source, Reuters

Andy Carroll is not fit enough to face his former employers today. He is fit, however, to stand pitchside with a cuppa in hand as he has a chinwag with a Liverpool official.

Tea? Coffee? Bovril? I'm going coffee.

The Hammers are straight on the front foot. Aaron Cresswell, the Scouser released by the Reds as a kid, makes headway down the left flank, crossing into an empty box. James Milner stoops to head clear under little pressure.

'Forever Blowing Bubbles' booms out of the PA system, right up until Hammers striker Andre Ayew gets the ball rolling.

Game. On.

Image source, Reuters

The Hammers produced one of their best displays of the season against Tottenham last week, but Slaven Bilic is unable to name the same starting XI.

Midfield pair Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate have had surgery on long-standing injuries, meaning Havard Nordtveit and Edimilson Fernandes come into the middle of the park. 

Liverpool looked livelier in the bore draw against Southampton last weekend following the arrival of substitutes Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana - so it is not surprising to see the England internationals start at London Stadium.

Sturridge makes his first Premier League start since 2 January as Roberto Firmino misses out with a muscle injury.

Lallana, who has made two substitute appearances since recovering from a thigh injury, replaces Lucas Leiva.

Right...back to West Ham. Jurgen Klopp is breathing a little heavy as he sits open-mouthed in the away dugout. It must have been an energetic team-talk.

Talking of teams...

Hull City

Hull captain Michael Dawson: "It is very hard. Giving them a goal so early on and we were 2-0 down at half time. With their pace, we the got caught with two more goals. The season has been a long hard slog and it is a sad day.

"The home performance against Sunderland put us in a bad position. We were chasing the game all afternoon, to get beaten 4-0 and get relegated it has not gone well.

"The boys in the dressing room and the staff are very disappointed. You work hard all year and then you get relegated, you have to pick yourselves up and we know what to do in the Championship.

"Marco Silva has done a fantastic job since he came in. He has done remarkably well to give us half a chance but we just came up short."

Mark Schwarzer
Ex-Middlesbrough keeper on Radio 5 live

Relegation is a real tough thing to go through. You feel like you have let everyone down and to lose the penultimate game of the season in that fashion is painful. 

And then all of a sudden you realise what happens long term - people in the club lose their jobs. You start to think about how long it will be before you can get back up to the Premier League again.  

There are so many repercussions of relegation. 

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha: "It is massive, this win. We knew how big the game was and I am glad everyone delivered. I am happy to have played my part.

"I could not even dream of getting through on goal like I did and had to keep my cool. We were in control of the game after that. I was thinking, I have GOT to score this. I was buzzing when i did. The best thing to do is be calm and that is what I tried to do, just relax. 

"Sometimes a lot goes your way and today it did. It has been a hard couple of months but we have managed to get out of it. We need to make sure we don't get in this position again.

"The fans have supported us through the losses, so it is massive for us and them."

The two teams are lined up in the roomy London Stadium tunnel. A few hugs and handshakes. Not quite like they're at a christening., external Although there are loads of kids down there.

Before kick-off, let's hoover up the reaction from Selhurst Park...

Alistair Mann
MOTD commentator at London Stadium

Having spoiled Tottenham's pursuit of the title in their last game, West Ham now have the opportunity to wreck another team's plans by damaging Liverpool's target of Champions League football.

With arguably their best performance of the season, the Hammers not only demonstrated what they are capable of when everything is in sync, but also proved that the London Stadium can work to their advantage - if they harness the fervent atmosphere their huge new home can generate.

Despite entering the weekend in third, a run of just one win from their last three games has been extremely untimely for the visitors, who will feel any further dropped points may well irrevocably floor their ambitions.

And the Hammers are suddenly starting to get used to their new home...

Hmmm. Maybe not as easy as it sounds.

Liverpool's past two performances have been, well, stinkers. Not to put too fine a point on it.

Emre Can's moment of brilliance was the only bright spot in a laboured 1-0 win against Watford, then they could not break down a stubborn Southampton in last weekend's snoozefest at Anfield.

Let's see if they can improve today. Jurgen Klopp, after complaining the Anfield pitch was "too dry" last Sunday, will be pleased to see the London Stadium's sprinklers on full volume.

Image source, Getty Images

Sometimes football permutations can be a head spinner. Sometimes they can be easier than primary school mathematics.

For Liverpool it is the latter. Two wins = the Champions League.

Sounds easy. Right?

Image source, #bbcfootball

From the basement battle...to the fight for fourth. 

While Hull's players and fans start a miserable journey back north, the Liverpool contingent will be hoping they will be in a more buoyant mood when they leave the Smoke in a couple of hours or so...

We've had a few tweets and texts on this theme......

Bruce (Sunderland and Chiswick)

So Chelsea are champions, and Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Hull are sent packing to the Championship.

The only thing left to play for are the Champions League places. 

Some App users may have to click the link to see these Tweets.

Chris Sutton
Ex-Chelsea striker for 5 live Sport

Simply, Hull didn't respond to the brilliance of Palace today. 

Sam Allardyce has done it again - he does exactly what he has always done and saved a club from relegation. 

The important thing from Marco Silva is that he comes out quickly and let's everyone know what he will do from here. The club needs to be assertive. I just fear a little for their future. 

Image source, Getty Images

The Hull players go over and clap the 2,197 away fans who have travelled to watch them get absolutely tonked today. 

Goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic looks like he's close to tears. 

The Palace fans stand and applaud the Tigers squad as they file off, which is nice.