Crystal Palace host West Ham United at Selhurst Park on 20 April 2026 in a London derby carrying importance for both sides at very different ends of their respective ambitions.
Palace enter the fixture sitting 13th in the Premier League with 42 points. Oliver Glasner's side remain within reach of the European places and have games in hand on several teams above them, while their run to the UEFA Conference League semi-finals has added another dimension to an already demanding season.
West Ham arrive with a far more urgent objective: Premier League survival. The Hammers sit 17th with 32 points after a crucial 4-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers lifted them out of the relegation zone.
With the season approaching its final stretch, every point has become increasingly important. Recent history suggests this could be another eventful meeting. Crystal Palace have enjoyed the stronger results lately, but West Ham have also shown that they can win at Selhurst Park.
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Crystal Palace vs West Ham: Last 10 Premier League Meetings
The previous 10 Premier League meetings before the April 20, 2026 fixture produced a clear advantage for Crystal Palace.
Across those matches:
Crystal Palace wins: 5
West Ham United wins: 3
Draws: 2
Crystal Palace goals: 22
West Ham United goals: 18
Total goals: 40
Average goals per match: 4.0
The 40 combined goals are particularly striking. Rather than being defined by low-scoring tactical battles, recent Crystal Palace vs West Ham meetings have regularly produced open games, momentum swings and goals at both ends.
The previous 10 league results were:
West Ham United 1-2 Crystal Palace — September 2025
West Ham United 0-2 Crystal Palace — January 2025
Crystal Palace 0-2 West Ham United — August 2024
Crystal Palace 5-2 West Ham United — April 2024
West Ham United 1-1 Crystal Palace — December 2023
Crystal Palace 4-3 West Ham United — April 2023
West Ham United 1-2 Crystal Palace — November 2022
Crystal Palace 2-3 West Ham United — January 2022
West Ham United 2-2 Crystal Palace — August 2021
Crystal Palace 2-3 West Ham United — January 2021
That sequence shows why recent meetings between the two London clubs have been so difficult to predict.
Crystal Palace Have Taken Control of the Recent Head-to-Head
The most important trend heading into the April 2026 meeting is Crystal Palace's recent improvement against West Ham. Palace have won three of the previous four Premier League meetings between the clubs.
Their most recent victory came at the London Stadium in September 2025, when Palace won 2-1 through goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell. The result extended Palace's unbeaten start to the Premier League season at the time.
Palace had also defeated West Ham 2-0 at the London Stadium in January 2025, with Mateta scoring both goals. That performance was particularly convincing. West Ham failed to register a shot on target, while their difficult afternoon ended with Konstantinos Mavropanos being dismissed after receiving a second yellow card.
Those two away victories demonstrated Palace's growing ability to control this fixture. However, West Ham can take confidence from the fact that their most recent visit to Selhurst Park ended in victory.
West Ham Won at Selhurst Park Earlier in 2024/25
Crystal Palace's recent advantage does not mean a home victory is guaranteed. West Ham travelled to Selhurst Park in August 2024 and secured a 2-0 Premier League win, with their second-half performance giving then-manager Julen Lopetegui his first league victory in charge of the club.
That result came only four months after Palace had demolished West Ham 5-2 at the same ground. The contrast between those two matches captures the unpredictability of this fixture.
One meeting can produce a dominant Palace performance, while the next can swing decisively towards West Ham. That is why home advantage alone cannot determine the April 2026 contest.
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The 5-2 Palace Win Was One of the Most Memorable Meetings
One of Crystal Palace's most impressive recent performances against West Ham came at Selhurst Park in April 2024. Palace raced into a remarkable 4-0 lead inside the opening 31 minutes.
Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta all contributed, while an Emerson own goal added to West Ham's disastrous opening period. Mateta scored again in the second half as Palace eventually completed a 5-2 victory.
That result remains important when assessing this fixture because it demonstrated how dangerous Palace can become when they are able to attack quickly and find space between West Ham's defensive lines. It was also part of the reason the previous 10 league meetings averaged four goals per game.
The 4-3 Thriller at Selhurst Park
The previous season had produced another memorable match. Crystal Palace defeated West Ham 4-3 in April 2023 in a seven-goal encounter at Selhurst Park.
That result reinforced a pattern that has followed these teams through several seasons: once the game becomes open, both sides have the attacking ability to punish defensive mistakes.
For supporters expecting another straightforward tactical contest in April 2026, the recent head-to-head record suggests caution. These meetings have frequently become far more open than expected.
Palace Enter the Match With European Ambitions Still Alive
Crystal Palace's Premier League position does not immediately suggest a team fighting for Europe, but their situation is more promising than 13th place alone indicates.
Before facing West Ham, Palace had 42 points and sat six points away from the European positions, with games in hand on several teams above them. They were also competing in the UEFA Conference League and had reached the semi-finals after progressing past Fiorentina.
That European run added fixture congestion, but it also demonstrated the level Palace had reached under Oliver Glasner. Palace had also gone six consecutive home matches unbeaten going into the West Ham fixture, giving them another reason for confidence at Selhurst Park.
Palace's Season Has Been Built Around Defensive Structure
One of the strengths of Glasner's Palace has been their ability to operate without needing to dominate possession. Their structure allows them to remain compact defensively before attacking quickly when possession changes hands.
The wing-backs are particularly important. They provide width when Palace move forward but also allow the team to defend with greater numbers when opponents have the ball.
Players such as Daniel Muñoz can quickly turn defensive situations into attacking ones, while Palace's forwards benefit from the spaces created during transitions.
Against West Ham, that approach could be especially important. If the Hammers commit numbers forward in search of a crucial victory, Palace may find opportunities to attack the spaces they leave behind.
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Palace's Home Form Could Be Important
Selhurst Park has become increasingly difficult for visiting teams. Palace entered this match unbeaten in their previous six home fixtures, and the atmosphere at Selhurst Park can become particularly influential when the team begins playing with attacking momentum.
Recent meetings with West Ham at the ground have produced very different results, however. Palace won 4-3 in April 2023 and 5-2 in April 2024, but West Ham responded with a 2-0 victory in August 2024.
That makes this less straightforward than simply giving Palace the advantage because they are at home. The Eagles have shown they can dominate West Ham at Selhurst Park, but the Hammers have also demonstrated that they can frustrate Palace and take all three points.
West Ham Are Fighting for Premier League Survival
For West Ham, the importance of the fixture is difficult to overstate. They entered the game in 17th place with 32 points, immediately above the relegation zone.
Their position had improved dramatically after a 4-0 win against Wolves on April 10, when Konstantinos Mavropanos and Taty Castellanos both scored twice.
That victory moved West Ham out of the bottom three and gave them renewed belief in their survival campaign. However, their position remained dangerous. One positive result was not enough to guarantee safety, and the pressure from the teams below them meant West Ham needed to continue collecting points.
That gives the match against Palace a very different significance for the visitors. While Palace can look upwards towards European qualification, West Ham are concentrating on remaining in the Premier League.
The Wolves Victory Could Give West Ham Confidence
West Ham's 4-0 victory over Wolves was more than simply three points. It showed that the Hammers were capable of producing a controlled and clinical performance in a high-pressure fixture.
Mavropanos opened the scoring before Castellanos struck twice in quick succession, and Mavropanos later added his second to complete the victory. Jarrod Bowen was also influential in the performance.
For West Ham, the challenge is to carry that confidence into Selhurst Park. They cannot afford to approach Palace as though survival has already been secured. Instead, the Wolves result needs to become the foundation for another disciplined performance.
Jarrod Bowen Remains Central to West Ham's Attack
Jarrod Bowen continues to be one of West Ham's most important attacking players. Going into the Palace game, he was the club's leading Premier League scorer with eight goals.
His movement, direct running and ability to create or finish chances make him particularly dangerous when West Ham attack quickly. Against Palace's three-centre-back structure, Bowen's positioning could become important.
Rather than remaining in one area, he can move into spaces around Palace's wider centre-backs and wing-backs, particularly when possession changes quickly. If West Ham are going to take advantage of Palace defensively, Bowen is likely to be heavily involved.
Crystal Palace vs West Ham Tactical Battle
The tactical contrast between the teams could play a major role in deciding the match.
1. Crystal Palace
Palace are comfortable allowing opponents periods of possession before attacking at speed. Their shape gives them defensive protection while still allowing their wing-backs to move aggressively into advanced areas.
When Palace recover possession, their first instinct is often to move forward quickly rather than circulate the ball slowly. That could make West Ham vulnerable if they lose possession with too many players ahead of the ball.
2. West Ham United
West Ham need to balance attacking ambition with defensive caution. Their position in the table means a victory would be extremely valuable, but becoming overly aggressive could play directly into Palace's transition game.
A more controlled approach could involve keeping enough players behind the ball, competing strongly in midfield and looking for opportunities to release Bowen and the forwards quickly. The team that manages transitions better may gain a major advantage.
Where Crystal Palace vs West Ham Could Be Decided
Several areas could determine the outcome at Selhurst Park.
1. Palace's Transitions
If West Ham lose possession in dangerous areas, Palace have the pace to turn those moments into immediate attacks. Stopping those transitions will be essential.
2. West Ham's Confidence After Wolves
The 4-0 victory gave West Ham a much-needed boost. If they can reproduce the confidence and defensive concentration shown in that match, they have a much better chance of competing at Selhurst Park.
3. The Wide Areas
Palace's wing-backs are central to how Glasner's team plays. West Ham need to prevent them from advancing freely while also finding opportunities to attack the space behind them.
4. Jarrod Bowen
Bowen remains one of the visitors' most dangerous attacking outlets. Palace need to restrict the amount of space he receives around their defensive third.
5. The First Goal
Recent head-to-head meetings have produced several high-scoring matches. An early goal could open the game considerably. Palace would become particularly dangerous if West Ham were forced to chase the match, while an early Hammers goal could give the visitors something to protect.
Crystal Palace vs West Ham Goals Record
The goal statistics from the previous 10 meetings make this fixture stand out. There were 40 goals across those 10 matches, giving an average of exactly four goals per game.
Crystal Palace scored 22 of them, while West Ham scored 18. That does not guarantee another high-scoring game, but it demonstrates how frequently these clubs have managed to create chances against each other.
Scores such as:
Crystal Palace 5-2 West Ham
Crystal Palace 4-3 West Ham
Crystal Palace 2-3 West Ham
West Ham 2-3 Crystal Palace
West Ham 2-2 Crystal Palace
show that open contests have been common. Only one of the previous 10 meetings ended without both clubs scoring: Palace's 2-0 win at the London Stadium in January 2025.
Who Had the Better Recent Head-to-Head Record?
Based on the previous 10 Premier League meetings, Crystal Palace clearly held the stronger record heading into April 20, 2026. Palace had won five matches compared with West Ham's three and had also outscored their London rivals 22-18.
More importantly, Palace had won three of the previous four meetings. That gives the Eagles the stronger recent head-to-head record. However, West Ham's 2-0 victory at Selhurst Park in August 2024 serves as an important reminder that the fixture has rarely followed a simple pattern.
Crystal Palace vs West Ham: Who Had the Advantage?
Heading into the April 20 meeting, Crystal Palace appeared to have the slight advantage. They had home advantage, the stronger recent head-to-head record, better league position and an unbeaten run at Selhurst Park.
Their ability to attack quickly in transition could also cause problems for a West Ham team that may need to take risks in search of points. But West Ham could not be dismissed.
Their 4-0 victory over Wolves had just lifted them out of the relegation zone and provided a significant confidence boost. They had also won on their previous visit to Selhurst Park.
For Palace, victory would strengthen their attempt to climb the Premier League table and maintain hopes of securing European football through their league position.
For West Ham, the objective was much more urgent: build on the Wolves victory and create further distance between themselves and the relegation zone. The recent statistics favoured Palace, but the history of this London derby suggested another competitive contest was likely.
Crystal Palace vs West Ham: What the Last 10 Meetings Tell Us
The recent Crystal Palace vs West Ham head-to-head record tells the story of an unusually entertaining London fixture.
Across the previous 10 Premier League meetings before April 20, 2026:
Crystal Palace won five.
West Ham won three.
Two matches ended in draws.
Palace scored 22 goals.
West Ham scored 18.
The clubs combined for 40 goals.
The matches averaged four goals each.
Palace won three of the previous four meetings.
West Ham nevertheless won on their most recent visit to Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace had clearly gained the upper hand in recent seasons, particularly through their attacking performances against West Ham. Yet the Hammers had enough recent success at Selhurst Park—and enough motivation from their relegation battle—to make this far from a straightforward fixture.
With Palace looking upwards towards the European places and West Ham fighting to remain in the Premier League, the April 2026 London derby carried significant consequences for both sides.