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Dan Coker's Match Preview

Match Preview: Crystal Palace

Blast from the past

Today’s blast from the past is the replayed home clash with Crystal Palace from 1997/98. The first game had to be abandoned due to floodlight failure after West Ham had come from two goals down through strikes from John Hartson and Frank Lampard. Neil Shipperley’s double had put Palace in control before the Hammers’ comeback. The forgotten goals can be seen on the video below, along with the moment the lights went out on Lampard’s celebration.

A replay of the match was arranged for Wednesday 3rd December 1997 – Lou Reed’s ‘Perfect Day’, recorded by various artists for Children In Need, was number one and West Ham United were to enjoy an almost perfect night against their south London visitors in front of 23,335. The Hammers went ahead in the 31st minute when David Unsworth’s raking crossfield pass found Eyal Berkovic who controlled expertly, cut inside Simon Rodger and laid the ball off for Hartson to drive in beyond Kevin Miller at the near post. The Eagles were level three minutes before half-time though when a corner from the left found Andy Linighan at the near post, Stan Lazaridis failed to deal with it on the line and Shipperley bundled home to equalise. The Hammers were not to be denied their interval lead however. Lazaridis atoned for his earlier error by providing a high, hanging cross which Hartson headed against the crossbar – Berkovic, following up, swept home left-footed to restore the hosts’ lead.

Two Hammers’ players went on to notch their first ever goals for the club in the second half. Unsworth was the first, volleying home acrobatically in the six-yard box after Ian Pearce had headed on Lazaridis’ 48th minute corner. Steve Lomas was the second, steaming into the area unmarked to power home Hartson’s cross for 4-1 on 71 minutes after good initial approach play from Berkovic and Samassi Abou.

Harry Redknapp’s Hammers would finish 8th in the Premier League in 1997/98, while the Eagles would end the campaign in bottom place and were relegated.

West Ham United: Craig Forrest, Tim Breacker, Ian Pearce, Rio Ferdinand, David Unsworth, Stan Lazaridis (Keith Rowland), Steve Lomas, John Moncur, Eyal Berkovic, Samassi Abou (Paulo Alves), John Hartson.

Crystal Palace: Kevin Miller, Marc Edworthy, Hermann Hreidarsson, Andy Linighan, Dean Gordon, Jamie Smith (Michele Padovano), Neil Emblen, Simon Rodger, Itzy Zohar, Paul Warhurst, Neil Shipperley.

The goals from this match, along with a post-match interview with Hartson and Berkovic, can be viewed by skipping to 34:04 of the video below.

Club Connections

Marouane Chamakh is injured, ruling out a playing return to West Ham United where he spent a brief loan spell in 2013. Alan Pardew, an ex-Palace player and now the club’s manager, also returns to Upton Park where he was in charge between 2003 and 2006. A large group of players have turned out for the Hammers and the Eagles. Divided here by position, they include:

Goalkeepers: Perry Suckling, Steve Mautone.

Defenders: Kenny Brown, Neil Ruddock, Paul Brush, Danny Gabbidon, Chris Powell, Tony Gale, Matthew Upson, Darren Powell.

Midfielders: Hayden Mullins, Carl Fletcher, Jobi McAnuff, Kyel Reid, Ray Houghton.

Strikers: Ian Wright, Jeroen Boere, Clive Allen, Johnny Byrne, Dave Swindlehurst, Paul Kitson, Dave Sexton, Freddie Sears.

Malcolm Allison and Jack Tresadern played for the Hammers and managed the Eagles, while Iain Dowie played for both clubs and also managed Palace.

Today’s focus though is on a Northern Ireland international midfielder. Michael Hughes began his career with Carrick Rangers but moved to England with Manchester City in 1988. In August 1992 he moved to French club Strasbourg for a fee of £450,000. He joined West Ham United on loan in December 1994 and made his debut in a 2-1 defeat at Q.P.R. His first goal for the club arrived a few weeks later, the third in a 3-1 home win over Nottingham Forest on New Year’s Eve. Hughes scored one more goal in 1994/95, one of the most famous in Premier League history as his guided left-foot volley denied Manchester United the title in a 1-1 draw on the last day of the season.

Hughes returned to Upton Park for a second season-long loan spell in October 1995, scoring one goal in a 2-0 win over Southend in the FA Cup third round. He had done enough over both loan spells to earn a Bosman switch to east London in July 1996. He celebrated becoming a full-time Hammer by scoring three goals in six games in the opening weeks of 1996/97: the first brought the Hammers level in an eventual 2-1 home victory over Southampton; the second was a consolation in a 4-1 loss at Middlesbrough; and the third was the clincher in a 2-0 win at Nottingham Forest. In March 1997 Hughes was sent off for two bookable offences in a 1-0 defeat at Leeds.

Hughes’ wonder strike at Middlesbrough can be viewed in the video below.

After scoring 6 goals in 97 appearances in all competitions for West Ham United, Hughes signed for Joe Kinnear’s Wimbledon in a £1.6m deal in September 1997. He scored a wonderful long-range volley back at the Boleyn Ground in the game that will forever be remembered for Paolo Di Canio’s own sensational strike against the Dons. In 2002 Hughes became embroiled in a contract dispute between Wimbledon and Birmingham. Having played three matches for Birmingham on loan, Hughes was injured before the club won promotion to the Premier League and a permanent switch fell through. Wimbledon then refused to take him back. The ensuing dispute over who held his registration continued for over a year and Hughes’ career had to be put on hold.

In October 2003 Hughes signed for Crystal Palace and was compensated by Birmingham. He quickly became a fans’ favourite and club captain at Selhurst Park, playing under former club and country team-mate Dowie and scoring the winning penalty in the shoot-out against Sunderland in the play-off semi-final before defeating the Hammers in the final in Cardiff. Hughes was released by the Eagles in the summer of 2007 having scored 7 goals in 126 appearances for the club. He went on to play for Coventry and St Neots Town. Hughes, now 43, is currently a majority shareholder and co-owner at Carrick Rangers, the club where his career began.

Referee

Saturday’s referee will be Mike Dean; 2014/15 is Dean’s fifteenth as a Premier League referee. Since West Ham United achieved promotion back to the top flight in 2012 Dean has refereed 11 of our league matches, officiating in 6 wins for the Hammers, 3 draws and 2 defeats. Dean was the man in the middle for our 3-1 home loss to Southampton and our 1-0 home victory over Newcastle earlier this season, as well as our 1-1 draw at Swansea.

Possible line-ups

Sam Allardyce will be without the injured Carlton Cole and Andy Carroll while Morgan Amalfitano is still suspended. New signing Nene is set to claim a place on the bench.

Crystal Palace will be without injured strikers Fraizer Campbell, Marouane Chamakh and Yaya Sanogo. Campbell has been ruled out for six weeks with a hamstring injury, while Chamakh and Sanogo will be sidelined until mid-March. Shola Ameobi, Dwight Gayle and Glenn Murray are Pardew’s remaining options to step in up front. Jerome Thomas and Jonny Williams are also ruled out but central midfielders James McArthur and Mile Jedinak are fit and available again.

Possible West Ham United XI: Adrian; Jenkinson, Tomkins, Reid, Cresswell; Kouyate, Song, Noble; Downing; Valencia, Sakho.

Possible Crystal Palace XI: Speroni; Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare; Zaha, McArthur, Mutch, Bolasie; Gayle, Murray.

Enjoy the game – Come On You Irons!

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