West Ham will love an explanation provided by Oliver Glasner as he risks a backlash from Spurs ahead of two huge games in the Premier League relegation battle.
The Hammers and bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur are locked in what many feel is now a straight shootout to avoid the drop.
With Leeds on the brink of safety with a game against Wolves and Forest not far behind as they face Burnley, West Ham and Spurs are fighting to avoid joining both in the Championship.
West Ham put Premier League survival in their own hands by leapfrogging Tottenham with a 4-0 win over Wolves last weekend.
Glasner explanation will delight West Ham as he risks Spurs wrath
Spurs lost Roberto De Zerbi’s first game in charge at Sunderland last weekend and know they have to win at home to the league’s form team Brighton if they are to go back above the Hammers.
But West Ham’s next opponents Crystal Palace may have something to inadvertently say about that.
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When the Hammers travel to Selhurst Park on Monday night they will know whether they need to win to go back above – or extend the gap to – Tottenham.
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And West Ham may welcome an explanation from Eagles boss Oliver Glasner as he risks a Spurs backlash.
West Ham and Glasner have history.
He was manager of Eintracht Frankfurt when they edged out the Hammers in a tempestuous Europa League semi-final four years ago.
Glasner and his side broke West Ham’s hearts over an ill-tempered two legs.
Ironically the Austrian was heavily linked with joining West Ham as a potential replacement for David Moyes but has been doing a wonderful job in south London instead.
Glasner allowed Palace players to party ahead of facing West Ham
Now West Ham fans may finally have reason to like Glasner after he admitted he gave his Palace stars permission to party into the night after they made it to the Conference League semi-finals.
West Ham were boosted and Spurs concerned as Palace stars let their hair down into the small hours in Italy after an aggregate win over Fiorentina.
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Tottenham fans have been worried about how that – and the fact Palace have a European semi-final to consider – might impact the performance of Glasner’s side against their relegation rivals West Ham.
But Glasner has been unapologetic to Tottenham, admitting he gave his players the green light to enjoy themselves ahead of facing the Hammers.
And in a rather ironic twist, Glasner referenced that run to Europa League glory when they beat West Ham as the reason he allowed Palace’s stars to party.
“This was the same thing (to go out and celebrate) that the Eintracht Frankfurt players asked when we won the quarter-final (in the Europa League in 2022 to set up a semi-final clash with West Ham),” Glasner explained.
“Hopefully the ending of the story will be the same.”
Those memories are painful for West Ham but Palace’s focus on Europe could heal old wounds if it helps keep Nuno Espirito Santo’s side in the top flight – especially at Tottenham’s expense.
Relegation run-in remaining six fixtures: