West Ham move two points clear of drop zone and relegate Wolves with Palace draw

West Ham secured a massive point in their relegation battle after playing out a goalless draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, also sealing Wolves’ relegation to the Championship.

Eagles winger Brennan Johnson had a chance to boost the survival hopes of his former side Tottenham but missed a free header in the first half.

The visitors were not without chances to grab all three points, and it took a big Dean Henderson save to deny Konstantinos Mavropanos before the break.

The result lifts the Hammers two points clear of Spurs, while Palace – who have a game in hand – move within five points of Brentford, who currently occupy the Conference League play-off round position.

Adam Wharton remained sidelined after he was forced off last week against Fiorentina and watched from the stand, but Maxence Lacroix, who was also a worry after coming off in that clash, was in Oliver Glasner’s starting line-up.

Nuno Espirito Santo named an unchanged West Ham side from Friday’s victory over Wolves.

There was little to separate the sides after 10 minutes, save a half-chance from a Tyrick Mitchell cross to an off-balance Jorgen Strand Larsen, who could not direct it goalwards, and Taty Castellanos blasted an effort over Henderson’s crossbar in the 15th minute.

Johnson, unmarked, had a big chance to open the scoring from an excellent Jefferson Lerma cross in the 20th minute but failed to angle his header on target, then Henderson kept out a Crysencio Summerville free-kick.

Johnson, this time teed up by Yeremy Pino, fired his next attempt wide, and Palace breathed a sigh of relief after they failed to clear a corner, allowing Axel Disasi a shot from point-blank range, though the offside flag would have been raised.

There were just over six minutes remaining in the half when Lacroix came in with a big block to deny Castellanos.

Henderson had just punched away Jarrod Bowen’s header and the ball made its way to the Argentina international, who attempted a bicycle kick, but Lacroix got his body in the way just in time.

The visitors had the momentum, but it remained goalless at the break after Henderson reacted quickly to palm away Mavropanos’ sharp header.

The Hammers remained on the front foot to begin the second half, though Mads Hermansen was the first goalkeeper called into action when he collected Johnson’s cross.

Glasner made a triple substitution just before the hour, replacing Will Hughes, Pino and Strand Larsen with Daichi Kamada, Ismaila Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Lerma drew Hermansen into a straightforward save with a header, and the stalemate remained intact after a slapstick series of slip-ups by both sides at the other end of the pitch.

Henderson denied Castellanos, Mateta sent a speculative effort into the arms of the Irons keeper, and Sarr had the ball in the back of the net with less than 10 minutes remaining but it was immediately chalked off for Mateta’s handball in the build-up.

West Ham won a stoppage-time corner but it was eventually cleared by Palace to ensure the points were shared.