adminWest Ham warned Tottenham are the winners after Crystal Palace clash – ‘huge’ chance missed
The final match of Premier League matchday 32 ended without a victor, as West Ham United and Crystal Palace battled to a tense 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park.
Still, former Hammers striker Dean Ashton couldn’t help but feel that the stalemate in South London would have been welcomed with open arms across North London.
Meanwhile, Roberto de Zerbi remains confident about Tottenham’s chances of avoiding relegation, despite Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Brighton. One gets the sense the Italian would have gladly accepted the outcome had he known West Ham would finish the week just two points ahead instead of four.
According to Opta’s so-called supercomputers, Tottenham currently face a 57 percent relegation probability. But the odds would have tilted much more favorably for West Ham if Konstantinos Mavropanos or Taty Castellanos had managed to beat Dean Henderson on a night with few clear-cut chances.
West Ham Miss Chance to Go Four Points Clear of Tottenham
“Looking back, it does feel like a slight missed opportunity,” Ashton told Sky Sports. “It could have dealt a huge blow to Tottenham. It feels like a small chance slipped away. West Ham had enough opportunities to score, but traveling to Crystal Palace is never easy. So, taking a point has to be seen as a positive. There was no lack of fight, and that’s worth highlighting.”
Chelsea loanee Axel Disasi recorded his fifth Premier League clean sheet in nine appearances for his temporary club. Mavropanos once again impressed, while Mads Hermansen was barely tested in goal.
Ashton’s main frustration is that West Ham should have been leading at halftime. Castellanos attempted a daring trademark volley that was cleared almost off the line by Maxence Lacroix. Moments later, Mavropanos’ powerful header was brilliantly denied by Henderson.
“Castellanos was unlucky it hit the defender,” said Ashton, who scored 19 goals for West Ham before retiring at 26 due to injury. “Otherwise, we’d be talking about a brilliantly executed overhead kick. And all credit must go to Henderson. Given his recent scoring form, Mavropanos would have backed himself to score that.”
Jarrod Bowen Reflects on Hard-Fought Selhurst Park Draw
“Probably a bit of both,” admitted captain Jarrod Bowen after the final whistle, acknowledging the mix of frustration and pride over another clean sheet. “Palace are a very good side, especially at home. We knew we’d have to defend well, and we had chances that on another day might have gone in. All things considered, a point isn’t the worst result.
“Quality alone won’t carry you through. It’s about team spirit and togetherness, and we showed that tonight. Another clean sheet—we had one against Wolves and now this one. We wanted the win, but it wasn’t meant to be. Now we’ve got a big game on Saturday against Everton that we’re determined to win.”
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