West Ham United eke out a point with 0-0 EPL draw at Crystal Palace, but is it enough?

LONDON – West Ham United were left wondering whether it was one point gained or two points dropped, as a lacklustre 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace on April 20 sees them hovering just above the English Premier League relegation zone.

Victory would have put Nuno Espirito Santo’s resurgent side four points above 18th-placed Tottenham Hotspur with five games left, but the stalemate leaves them in peril.

West Ham stay in 17th spot with 33 points from 33 matches, while Tottenham are below them on 31 points. They also have an inferior goal difference to Spurs.

The Hammers host Everton on April 25 while Tottenham visit bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers, whose relegation was confirmed by the draw at Selhurst Park.

“A very tough, balanced match. It could have gone both ways,” the West Ham manager, whose side were seven points from safety in mid-January, told Sky Sports.

“It will go all the way, for sure. Not only at the bottom of the table but at the top. This season has been very tight.

“We have a mission ahead and keep going.”

The London derby on April 20 would have been closely followed in north London, with Tottenham desperately hoping that Palace would do them a favour in the relegation scrap.

The closest West Ham came to scoring was a powerful Konstantinos Mavropanos header from El Hadji Malick Diouf’s cross in the first half that produced a reflex save from Dean Henderson, while Valentin Castellanos had a bicycle kick blocked.

Palace, who have their eyes on the UEFA Conference League semi-finals, were second best in the opening period, although they should have scored when Brennan Johnson – Tottenham’s match-winning hero in last season’s Europa League final against Manchester United – somehow headed off target to extend his goal drought.

The home side bossed the second period and substitute Ismaila Sarr did have the ball in the net, but his effort was ruled out for a handball by Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Palace’s sixth 0-0 draw this season stretched their unbeaten run in the league to four games and they stayed in 13th place in the standings with 43 points, just five points away from sixth-placed Chelsea.

Manager Oliver Glasner offered support for Johnson, who is yet to score in 19 appearances for Palace since switching from Tottenham in the January transfer window.

“He was a big threat today. It’s not just goals the attackers score, he did very well out of possession. It was a good step in the right direction,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bournemouth announced on April 20 that German manager Marco Rose will take charge of the Premier League club next season, succeeding the departing Andoni Iraola.

The highly rated Iraola revealed last week he will leave the club after three years at the end of the current campaign.

Former Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig coach Rose has signed a three-year deal.

“AFC Bournemouth is delighted to confirm the appointment of Marco Rose as the club’s new head coach on a three-year contract, which will begin following the conclusion of the 2025-26 season,” the club said in a statement.

The Cherries are eighth in the league with 48 points, chasing qualification for European competition for the first time in the club’s history.

Iraola has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs as well as a return to Athletic Bilbao, where he spent the vast majority of his playing career.

Rose has been out of the game since being sacked by Leipzig in March 2025.

But the 49-year-old deploys a similar high-pressing style to the one Iraola has successfully implemented, and also has a track record of improving young players.
REUTERS, AFP