Premier League winners and losers: West Ham, Crystal Palace continue unbeaten runs
By Ty Finch
Loser: The bottom third of the table
It was a massive weekend for clubs that were toiling away in the relegation zone, and a disappointing set of results for those who were just above it.
West Ham eased past Stoke 3-0 and Crystal Palace smashed an in-form Leicester squad by the same score. Both clubs were wallowing away in or near to the bottom three for most of the season, but have recently shaken off the rust and found life under new management.
Palace may be the more intriguing story of the two. They famously started the season in record-setting fashion, not winning or scoring a goal in their first seven contests. Since Roy Hodgson took over in mid-September, Palace have gained 17 points from 14 matches, and are now on seven-match unbeaten run. They no longer seem destined for relegation, and could even start to think about finishing in the top half of the table.
West Ham’s 3-0 win may have been less shocking considering the opponent, but they still deserve their fair share of praise. Mark Noble, Marko Arnautovic and Diafra Sakho scored a goal apiece for the Hammers to vault West Ham to 15th place, tied with Palace on points. David Moyes’ appointment as manager was met with plenty of criticism at the time, but he’s currently carrying a three-match unbeaten run with a win over Chelsea and a draw against Arsenal included.
This spells trouble for the bottom third of the table. Stoke, in particular, are in real danger of being relegated. They’ve given up a staggering 39 goals in 18 games. Their minus-20 goal differential is worst in the Premier League by five. If results continue, Mark Hughes could be the sixth manager sacked this season.