West Ham's draw at Palace relegates Wolves, piles pressure on Spurs
West Ham players applaud the fans following the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and West Ham United at Selhurst Park in south London on April 20, 2026. (Photo by Henry Nicholls / AFP)
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West Ham's 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace on Monday
condemned Wolves to relegation from the Premier League and boosted their own
survival bid to leave struggling Tottenham deeper in trouble.
Bottom of the table Wolves have long been destined for the
drop and their descent into the Championship was confirmed by the stalemate at
Selhurst Park.
Wolves are now 16 points behind fourth-bottom West Ham, with
a maximum of 15 available from their last five matches.
After eight seasons in the top-flight, Wolves succumbed
tamely, winning just three of their 33 league matches to date this term.
Despite notable recent wins against Aston Villa and
Liverpool, Wolves have looked relegation certainties for months and their
eight-year stay in the Premier League is coming to an end.
Vitor Pereira, now in charge of Nottingham Forest, started
the season in charge of the Molineux club but the Portuguese coach was sacked
in early November after a terrible start to the campaign.
Former Middlesbrough boss Edwards was brought in but he had
an almost impossible task and has been unable to work a miracle.
Second-bottom Burnley look certain to join Wolves in the second
tier next season.
They will be relegated if they lose against title-chasing
Manchester City on Wednesday.
The Hammers' draw improved their own survival prospects,
moving them two points clear of third-bottom Tottenham.
Tottenham's 2-2 draw against Brighton on Saturday was a
boost to West Ham, with the two London rivals having five games left in the
fight to avoid relegation.
Tottenham, winless in their first two games under boss
Roberto De Zerbi, haven't played in the second tier since 1977-78.
The north Londoners have going 15 league matches without a win
stretching back to December.
Last in the Championship in 2011-12, West Ham's biggest
league win for three years, 4-0 over Wolves nine days ago, moved them out of
the bottom three for only the second time in 2026.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side built on that result with a
gritty point against UEFA Conference League semi-finalists Palace.
"It will go all the way, for sure. Not only at the
bottom of the table but at the top. This season has been very tight," Nuno
said.
"We have a mission ahead and keep going. It's going to
be a fight until the end."
Palace's win at West Ham in September sparked Graham
Potter's sacking and Nuno's eventual appointment as his replacement.
Nuno has gradually revived West Ham since then and from
January 17 onwards, only four Premier League teams have picked up more points
than the Hammers.
West Ham threatened first when Valentin Castellanos fired over
from the edge of the area.
Brennan Johnson should have put Palace in front from Tyrick
Mitchell's cross, but the unmarked forward headed wastefully wide.
Johnson tried to make amends, curling narrowly wide from 18
yards.
But it was West Ham who finished the half stronger, with El
Hadji Malick Diouf's cross reaching Konstantinos Mavropanos for a towering
header that forced a fine save from Dean Henderson.
Mavropanos had another header repelled by Henderson after
the interval.
Palace winger Ismaila Sarr was denied a late winner when he
slammed home from close-range, only for the goal to be disallowed for handball
by Jean-Philippe Mateta.

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