Palace and West Ham are among the 10 favouritesplaceholder image
Palace and West Ham are among the 10 favourites | Getty Images
The Premier League season is nearly upon us but how have West Ham and Crystal Palace faired on matchday 1 in the last five years?
The Premier League has never been more competitive which gives the claims for it being the best league in the world more substance than ever before.
Last season might have been a washout in terms of relegation and the title winners, but never have there been more clubs capable of challenging for a Champions League place or Europe in general. Both Sunderland and Leeds Utd have been heavily backed by new owners and have every chance to buck the recent trend of clubs yo-yoing up and down to the Championship.
What this does is make relegation an even bigger risk is clubs in the middle don’t get recruitment right or if they get off to a slow start. Two clubs who could be in danger for different reasons are Crystal Palace and West Ham United. The London-based sides enjoyed mixed fortunes last season and will be hoping to look up, rather than down the table this year, neither will find it easy though.
How Crystal Palace have performed on the opening day with Chelsea on the horizon
One thing in Palace’s favour is that they have stability in terms of the man in charge. Oliver Glasner now knows the Premier League and won’t change his high intensity style that has proven to be so successful. What could be better though, is the Eagles’ opening day fixture. Up first is Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a team they faced four years ago in the same game and lost 3-0. Given their status as World Champions, it couldn’t have been much harder.
Glasner might also be missing two key components of the now legendary FA Cup winning side from May. Newcastle United have joined the chase for Marc Guehi whilst almost every top team in the Premier League has been linked with Eberechi Eze. If both are still at Selhurst Park for matchday one it will be a minor miracle.
Crystal Palace’s last five opening day fixtures
Brentford 2 – 1 Crystal Palace
Sheffield Utd 0 – 1 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace 0 – 2 Arsenal
Chelsea 3 – 0 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace 1 – 0 Southampton
How West Ham have faired on matchday 1 as Sunderland away trip looms
West Ham might have flirted with relegation but ended up 18 points clear of the drop in 14th place, the worry for Graham Potter though will be the 20-point gap to teams like Nottingham Forest, Brighton and Bournemouth. Close this, and Europe could be on the cards and the sort of season that David Moyes seemed to make look easier than, with hindsight, it was. Up first is a team that the Hammers might have to be wary of.
Sunderland were the outside bet to make it through the Championship play-offs but they haven’t been messing about in the transfer market. The Black Cats have spent a lot of money and are intent on staying up and bucking the recent trend. What is also worrying is that West Ham have only won one of their last five opening day fixtures, coincidentally, also in the north east. For the superstitious, this might be a sign.
West Ham 1 – 2 Aston Villa
Bournemouth 1 – 1 West Ham
West Ham 0 – 2 Man City
Newcastle 2 – 4 West Ham
West Ham 0 – 2 Newcastle
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