The sense, though, is that the scales are tilting decisively in one direction, towards a natural conclusion and a parting of the ways.
Three days after bowing out of Europe in defiant style, West Ham folded meekly here to leave their hopes for another season of Thursday night fun in the mire.
So abject was their display yesterday that neither Moyes, nor his players, attempted to use the tight turnaround as an excuse, despite it being freely offered up.
"The players got praised for their performance on Thursday night, but today was so bad I cannot put it into words," Moyes said. "In truth, I am embarrassed to sit here and be speaking on behalf of the team and the way they have performed." Crystal Palace were outstanding and fully deserving of their win, racing into a 4-0 lead inside 31 minutes and eventually on to a 5-2 triumph, making it back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time all season.
But while the Eagles are finishing the season strongly, lifted by Oliver Glasner's arrival to a level of late-season urgency and enthusiasm that belies their comfortable position, West Ham are falling apart.
This story is from the April 22, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 22, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Can Premier League win over fans for a Stateside adventure?
SADIQ KHAN pushing for re-election after promising to bring the Super Bowl to London; the Football Supporters’ Association promising a “full blown, two feet off the ground, studs to the knee tackle” should a single Premier League match head the other way.
SPURS IGNORE WARNINGS AS THEY SELF-DESTRUCT
TOTTENHAM have been more open and lost by bigger margins this season, but last night’s defeat has to go down as their most alarming display under Ange Postecoglou.
Steidten 'ban' gives Moyes space to focus on rescuing season that risks fizzling out
SINCE arriving at West Ham last summer, technical director Tim Steidten has been a very visible presence at London Stadium on match days.
Odegaard: It's okay to dream, but don't lose your focus
Skipper warns team-mates to guard against complacency
Now saviour Harris is aiming to add sparkle to workmanlike Lions
SINCE Neil Harris was parachuted back into Millwall on a rescue mission in February, only promotion favourites Ipswich have taken more points in the Championship.
I know it sounds wild, but you can't beat Toulouse without scoring a lot of points
DANNY WILSON has devised a \"wild\" plan to outscore global superpower Toulouse in Sunday's Champions Cup semi-final.
London stock market drops out of the top 20 destinations for IPOs
LONDON has today fallen out of the top 20 global IPO destinations of 2024, having raised only as much money as Kazakhstan’s stock market, the Standard can reveal.
Patchy but Dua still produces pop gems
LANDING at exactly the right time to boost the spirits of a nation of bored-senseless lockdowners, Dua Lipa’s second album, Future Nostalgia, didn’t just transform her into the pandemic’s answer to Vera Lynn, it elevated her to the big leagues.
Could Baby Reindeer change TV forever?
NOBODY saw this coming. Not Netflix, not its stars, not the public. Baby Reindeer was quietly released last month only to explode. thrilling and appalling viewers everywhere, and becoming one of the most talked about shows in years.
I was spat at in the street because I spoke about the Hamas rapes of October 7
LAST week, shocked at how I had to dress in order to safely walk around where I live, I posted a picture of myself to Instagram. I posted the picture because I wanted to vent — rather than fight — to do something about the madness that goes by the name of the city we live in right now.