West Ham United

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Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is pleased to have the chance to stand opposite West Ham boss David Moyes once again, when the Eagles host the Hammers on Sunday (15:00 BST).

Glasner last faced Moyes when Eintracht Frankfurt defeated West Ham in the semi-finals of the 2022 Europa League.

"[He’s been] brilliant," said the Austrian in his news conference on Friday.

"They were in the quarter-finals of the Europa League this season. They won the Conference League last season. The season before, they were in the semi-finals of the Europa League. I don't know their exact [league] positions in the last years, but yes, it's a very good team and he's a very experienced manager.

"We had two very tough games against them when I was manager of Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League. Of course, I have very good memories because we won both games. But it was two years ago and one different team.

"For us [Palace], it's important to look at what we want to do, to perform at our best level and to win the game. This is what we were talking about – and also not talking about winning, but talking about what we have to do, what we want to do. This was the headline of the whole week."

Don't be upset because it's over, smile because it happened.

Because for West Ham, it really did happen.

Back in September 2021, we walked out against Dinamo Zagreb in our first group stage European campaign with absolutely zero expectations.

Since then, we have won three groups, gone an entire European campaign unbeaten, reached three consecutive quarter-finals, two semi-finals and, of course, lifted European silverware.

Not a single person - West Ham fan or not - saw any of that coming. If you did, I want to know what this weekend's lottery numbers are, please.

The win over Sevilla, those nights in Lyon and Prague, last night against Leverkusen... the memories, oh the memories, will never fade and die, unlike our dreams, which also happened to come true on this wonderful, unbelievable and unthinkable European tour.

It ended against a Leverkusen side that is arguably the best team in Europe right now. We could not beat them, but no one has this season.

That's OK, because Thursday night at London Stadium felt different. The effort those players put in made sure it will go down as 'one of those nights under the lights' forever more. We didn't win but we didn't lose.

All we ever demand from the players is effort. We got that last night - and then some.

It was a truly magnificent performance that we must all be proud of. Most of the fans stayed after the final whistle to give the team a standing ovation. It was a mark of respect, acknowledgement and thanks for what that group, David Moyes included, has given us over the last three years.

Hopefully our European love affair continues into a fourth season but, if it does not, we should look back on it with a smile.

For three years West Ham were well and truly massive. And we made sure the rest of Europe knew about it.

James can be found at We Are West Ham, external

West Ham boss David Moyes took exception to being asked about his future in the aftermath of last night's Europa League exit but it is a subject that will not go away.

Moyes' contract expires at the end of the season and he has refused to say whether he will sign an extension.

Players are bound to be asked about it, which is exactly what happened to midfielder James Ward-Prowse in the aftermath of the 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen, a result that sent West Ham out 3-1 on aggregate.

"I think he’s done an incredible job," said the England international.

"All I can say from this season is that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with him.

"We’re obviously unsure as to what’s going to happen but we’re focusing on making sure we finish the season as strongly as we can."

Ward-Prowse is adamant the chatter will not be a distraction on the run-in as West Ham try to secure enough points to get them back into Europe next season.

"As players you’re always so busy with the games and, for us, the next few will decide where we are next season so it’s important that we focus on them," Ward-Prowse added.

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The was a lot of irritation about the performance of Spanish referee José María Sánchez Martínez at the London Stadium last night.

West Ham striker Michail Antonio was particularly annoyed at decisions that did not go his way, which he felt contributed to the home side eventually bowing out of the Europa League at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen, 3-1 on aggregate after Thursday's 1-1 draw.

However, midfielder James Ward-Prowse believes the Hammers have to look at themselves first.

"The level of officiating is a little bit different compared to the Premier League," he said.

"The leniency with fouls varies from time to time. Mick (Antonio) is strong and he’s up-front, so maybe there’s a certain image against him and he can't win fouls he should.

"But that’s refereeing and that’s football. We’ve all been on the end of bad decisions.

"Ultimately, we have to be honest and look at our performance and see that it wasn’t quite enough. The damage was done in the first leg."

Here are the key facts and figures before Crystal Palace host West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday (15:00 BST).

• West Ham have scored in each of their past19 Premier League games against Crystal Palace, their longest scoring streak against an opponent in their top-flight history.

• Following their 1-0 win over Liverpool last time out, Crystal Palace will be looking to record back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time this season, last doing so in April 2023 under Roy Hodgson (3 in a row).

• West Ham have won just one of their past six Premier League games (D3 L2) while the Hammers have won just two of their nine league games immediately following a European midweek game this season (D4 L3).

• Crystal Palace have won just five of their past 40 London derbies in the Premier League (D14 L21) and have lost the last three in a row, last having a longer run between March and August 2021 (four).

• James Ward-Prowse has created 59 chances in the Premier League this season, 21 more than any other West Ham player. The last player to create more chances in their first season for West Ham was Felipe Anderson in 2018-19 (65).

• Eberechi Eze has been involved in six goals in his past nine Premier League appearances for Crystal Palace (5 goals, 1 assist). Since the start of last season, Eze has more goals and assists combined than any other Palace player (17 goals, 6 assists).

West Ham manager David Moyes has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game at Crystal Palace.

Here are the main headlines from his news conference:

• Moyes heaped praise on his players for their performances across the two legs of their Europa League quarter-final tie with Bayer Leverkusen, despite their exit from the competition.

• He said he "would love" to qualify for European competition again next season: "Last year we did it by winning a trophy - it wasn't our league position. Our league position this year has improved greatly and we've been around the top seven or eight all season. We know the level of the opponents who are challenging for those positions so it'll be tough. We've enjoyed it and if we can get back into Europe again, it would be great."

• The fitness of defensive duo Nayef Aguerd and Konstantinos Mavropanos, midfielder Kalvin Phillips and goalkeeper Alphonse Areola will all be assessed before Sunday's game. George Earthy is following concussion protocols after the head injury he sustained against Fulham but "looks fine" and was at the club watching training earlier in the week.

• Jarrod Bowen was "really close to not playing" against Leverkusen and had an injection to play in Thursday's second leg. His fitness will also be assessed on Friday.

• On Palace: "Going there is always a difficult encounter. It's never an easy place to go to get a result. Oliver Glasner was manager of Eintracht Frankfurt when we played them [in the Europa League semi-final in 2021-22] and it's good to see him come over to the Premier League. He's a very good manager."

• On the decision to scrap FA Cup replays from the first round onwards: "I think the football schedule is too full, I think there's too many games. Something has to give in football somewhere or you may find it's going to be very difficult. I'm not saying this was the thing that had to give, but somewhere along the line something will have to loosen up a little bit to give the players a bit more room."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences

We asked you for your thoughts on West Ham's Europa League quarter-final defeat to Bayer Leverkusen.

Here are some of your comments:

Ian: I thought we gave it everything and the lack of squad depth showed as the players were exhausted. The referee was a mystery and it feels like he only wanted one team to progress. Credit to the team, they gave it everything but two goals down was too much to recover. Leverkusen are a good team and we pushed them all the way. I'm proud of my team!

Harry: I have never seen West Ham play like they did in the first half. It was an incredible performance which goes to show what we could do if we had a better suited manager. Moyes messed it up in the second half with late substitutes once again and he took off Alvarez, who was too good to take off. Moyes has ruined our European hopes and I am beyond gutted.

Yacob: We showed that when we attack, we can unsettle even the best. The tie was lost through over-defensive tactics last week and wasting the creativity of Paqueta, Kudus and Emerson. The Fornals and Benrahma departures have weakened us, but Moyes' substitutions were much less proactive and impactful than those Alonso chose to make.

John: I cannot fault the effort of the players. If David Moyes played like that every week, we wouldn't be questioning him about getting another deal. However, last night showed his recruiting policy is nothing but criminal. A good starting XI but that is it. Our bench is poor and, when we ran out of steam, he couldn't bring anyone on to help. Thanks for the memories.

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West Ham manager David Moyes, speaking after Bayer Leverkusen knocked the Hammers out of the Europa League: "It was a brilliant team performance, I have to say over the two games.

"We played a really good team and we had chances to be two or three up. I couldn't fault the players at all. If I was going out of Europe, I wanted to go out like that."

Former Hammers defender Danny Gabbidon, speaking on the BBC's Football Daily podcast, added: "There will be a lot of West Ham fans coming away thinking: 'Why can't we play like this every week? Why does it take us being 2-0 down from the first leg, and almost having no other choice than to play that way, to get that kind of first-half performance?'

"They've shown in the first half that they're capable of playing against one of the best teams in Europe and making them look fairly ordinary, playing high-tempo, aggressive, on-the-front-foot football. They caused Leverkusen a lot of problems.

"At half-time, Xabi had a lot of work to do. He had to change personnel and the formation, and that brought them a little more control.

"As an ex-West Ham player, I would like to see this team play a little bit more like we saw in that first half."

Listen to more reaction from 18'35 on BBC Sounds

West Ham looked like a spent force midway through their Europa League quarter-final defeat by Bayer Leverkusen.

David Moyes did not have enough players available to make an impact and some of those he did have, including Jarrod Bowen, were clearly lacking match sharpness.

Defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in itself is not a major problem.

West Ham acquitted themselves well against the unbeaten new German champions.

But what happens now?

They have five games left, including some biggies against Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City. Positive results can send fans into the summer in a positive mood.

But defeats bring the risk of sliding further down the table than their present eighth and that could be seen as under-achievement.

Moyes and his players will not want that. But do they have the strength to go again?

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West Ham goalscorer Michail Antonio to TNT Sports: "Obviously we are disappointed. Last week we gave them a bit too much respect, but this week we came out and showed them what we can do.

"I felt like I did not get a decision all game. I felt a bit frustrated. We felt like we deserved more. But it's football, sometimes the decisions don't go your way. We move on, and build on that and try to get into the Europa League next year.

"We put in a good performance and we had quite a few chances. Obviously they are a quality team."

On the decisions that went against him: "It does not feel like you are playing against 11 men, it feels like you are playing against 13 or 14 including the two linos.

"You just have to keep pushing and try and make the decisions go your way. And they just were not. We had to keep playing our way and keep being professional.

"We are very proud of ourselves. To achieve what we have achieved over the last four years is incredible. Four back-to-back years in European quarter-finals I would never have thought that. We were a yoyo team, into Europe, then fighting for relegation."

• Michail Antonio has now scored nine goals in European competition (excluding qualifiers) for West Ham, which is the joint-most of any Hammers player in their history – level with Jarrod Bowen. Antonio’s goal was also his 80th for the club across all competitions.

• Bowen has now been directly involved in 28 goals across all competitions for the club this season (19 goals, nine assists). He has only been involved in more for the Hammers in 2021-22, when he recorded 29 involvements with 18 goals and11 assists.

• Antonio's opener at 12 minutes and 47 seconds was the earliest goal Bayer Leverkusen have conceded in the Europa League this season.

West Ham have bowed out of the Europa League after drawing 1-1 with Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen at the London Stadium.

The Hammers were beaten by Xabi Alonso's side 3-1 on aggregate.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?

Hammers fans - Let us know your thoughts on the game

Follow all of the reaction here

There are three Premier League sides involved in European matches on Thursday, and we will bring you every moment.

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Follow all the action and reaction here

Listen to full match commentary of Atalanta v Liverpool at 20:00 on BBC Radio 5 Live

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Today feels like a key day for West Ham.

Victory and progression from their two-legged Europa League quarter-final against Bayer Leverkusen - the unbeaten, newly crowned German champions - would go down as one of the greatest nights in the club's history.

It is a long shot.

Even if Jarrod Bowen is fit to start, questions have to be asked about how fit the England star actually is. Without him - and the suspended Lucas Paqueta - West Ham feel short of firepower for the task they are facing.

More likely is elimination and an end to three years of European adventures, which brought many memorable stops, capped by that glorious night in Prague.

What would be left is a seven-match run to the end of the Premier League season, with the Hammers knowing if Chelsea or Coventry City win the FA Cup, they would have to finish sixth to secure a European place next season.

Given the run-in includes trips to Chelsea and Manchester City, plus a home game against Liverpool, it feels like a tough ask.

And that will turn the focus back on manager David Moyes and his future.

Some fans wanted the Scot out after the Europa Conference League triumph, since when attitudes among the 'Moyes Out' brigade have hardened.

Is Moyes up for the challenge of continuing? Would co-owner David Sullivan want him to? These questions have to be asked at some point.

West Ham can only hope that day is not about to arrive.

Liverpool could move for West Ham forward Mohammed Kudus if Mohamed Salah leaves Anfield. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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Xabi Alonso says he and his players had controlled celebrations after winning their first Bundesliga title on Sunday and are now ready to face West Ham.

In response to David Moyes hoping they had been consuming "a few of those big German beers," Alonso said: "A few but not too many!

"We had some control in order to get ready for the game. It was a moment to enjoy but now it is about what is coming and that is West Ham.

"When you come to England you know the supporters will push the team on. It will be an electrifying atmosphere, so it will have all the ingredients for a special night."

Unbeaten in all competitions this season, Bayer Leverkusen remain on course for a remarkable Treble in Alonso's first full season in charge, with the German Cup and Europa League still in their sights.

"From Tuesday our focus and our mind has been on the game," added Alonso. "Now is the time as we have a great opportunity to make a great season. So far it has been very good but it can get even better."

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West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski says beating newly crowned German champions Bayer Leverkusen is a "daunting challenge" but they "have to believe" to do so.

David Moyes' side are aiming to come back from a 2-0 deficit from their first leg and inflict defeat on the Bundesliga champions for the first time this season.

"They are in a very strong position when it comes to the confidence of the team, with them being unbeaten in the league and already crowned German champions," Fabianski said in the pre-match news conference.

"They are a very good side. They have proved that in the whole season but I would say we have to believe."

The former Poland international believes West Ham can use their previous European experiences, having won the Europa Conference League last season.

Jarrod Bowen, who scored in the final, is back in training and Fabianski believes he boosts their chance of making the next round.

"We have experienced already some games under pressure when it comes to European competitions - in the previous rounds and in the previous years," he added. "We have managed to create some special magical evenings so hopefully tomorrow will be a similar situation.

"We want to have as big a group as we can because we have really good players within the team and within the squad so while Jarrod is obviously a really important player for us we will see how it goes tomorrow but hopefully he will be able to help us as well."

David Moyes was speaking to the media before West Ham's Europa League quarter-final second leg against Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Moyes confirmed Jarrod Bowen, Kalvin Phillips and Alphonse Areola had returned to training but he was "not sure" whether the trio would be fit enough to feature.

• He added: "We'd never risk any players if they had chance of another injury. Player welfare is a big thing. I do want goalscorers back there and Jarrod has been our best goalscorer."

• He said it was a "huge game against Leverkusen last week" and Thursday night will be the same: "When you get to quarter-finals and semi-finals, it is exciting. We'd obviously love to get to the final but we have to go through the processes of getting there."

• On whether he feels under pressure: "Not at all. We've had some ups and some downs but in general, it's been a very good season."

• On who could be the hero in turning the tie around: "In European games, quite often substitutes make the difference. Pablo Fornals scored the goal in Alkmaar to get us to the [Europa Conference League] final so anyone can do so."

• He said it is "fantastic" that their opponents are now Bundesliga champions: "They should celebrate something like that. Let's hope that they have a few of those big German beers."

• On if their fluctuating form is an advantage as opposed to Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten run: "Maybe West Ham are a different sort of club. This place has never been smooth at any time. It's a club that has bobbed up and down. It's probably been at its highest standing for a long time. No one is coming here to have a smooth time - it's a club that has been up and down with relegation, but it's never been in Europe three seasons in a row and we want to make it four."

• Moyes does not believe the outcome of the match will have an effect on his West Ham future: "It's not got a bearing on my decision. Let's be fair, it wasn't too long ago we were talking about trying to avoid relegation."

Here are the key facts before Thursday's Europa League quarter-final second leg between West Ham United and Bayer Leverkusen at London Stadium (20:00 BST kick-off).

• This is the fifth time West Ham have trailed by two or more goals going into the second leg of a knockout tie in all European competitions, but the first since the 1999-00 season. They progressed in the first two and were defeated in the most recent two.

• Bayer Leverkusen have progressed from all 13 previous occasions they have won the first leg of a two-legged European knockout tie by two or more goals.

• West Ham have won three of their past four home games against German opposition (L1), already beating SC Freiburg twice in the Europa League this season (2-0 group stage, 5-0 round of 16).

• Bayer Leverkusen have only won one of their 10 away games against English sides in all competitions. However, this win did come in their last visit to the capital against Tottenham Hotspur in November 2016 (1-0).

• In the first leg, Bayer Leverkusen recorded 33 shots while West Ham had just one shot. Since the Europa League began in 2009, this is the biggest shot difference (32) between two sides in a single match in the competition.

• Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz (25) and West Ham's James Ward-Prowse (22) are two of the top three players for most chances created in the Europa League this season.

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Borussia Dortmund's magnificent victory against Atletico Madrid was great news for on-loan Manchester United star Jadon Sancho and Marcel Sabitzer, who left Old Trafford after spending the second half of last season on loan with Erik ten Hag's side.

However, it was bad news for England's chances of a fifth Champions League place next term.

Borussia Dortmund gained points for their match victory and a bonus for reaching the semi-final.

Those three co-efficient points are then divided by seven - the number of German teams who played in Europe this season - and added to their total.

It takes Germany onto 17.214, still trailing Italy, who have 18.428, but crucially, clear of England, who have 16.750.

The battle is not over yet but England could really do with Arsenal knocking out Bayern Munich tonight or West Ham reaching the Europa League semi-finals at the expense of Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday.

Seven days ago, there was a real sense of confidence among the West Ham fanbase.

The three points at Wolves put us in a really strong position to secure a top-seven finish in the Premier League and European qualification for a fourth consecutive season.

On top of that, we were about to embark on a Europa League quarter-final against Bayer Leverkusen.

But, having lost that first leg 2-0, despite being so close to securing a goalless draw, and then following it up by losing 2-0 at home to Fulham in the Premier League - all the confidence we had a week ago has gone.

The reality now is that we are likely to crash out of the Europa League this week, unless we can overcome a two-goal deficit against the newly crowned Bundesliga champions and become the first team to beat them in 43 games.

Domestically, our chances of a top-seven finish are now reliant on other teams dropping points. Beating Fulham would have put us in sixth, but instead we are eighth, sitting two points behind seventh, having played one more game than Newcastle United and Manchester United above us.

Chelsea are just one point behind us in ninth but they have two games in hand and a much better goal difference. All they have to do is draw one of those games and suddenly we are ninth and further behind in the race for European football.

So, it is looking increasingly like a disappointing end to a season which had so much promise before the turn of the year.

A catastrophic January transfer window, dropped points against the likes of Bournemouth, Sheffield United, Burnley and Fulham, and a style of play that has much of the fanbase frustrated, means we could be embarking on the final few games of David Moyes' West Ham career.

Failure to qualify for Europe, especially from the position we were in towards the end of 2023, will be a huge failure.

I just do not know how he continues as West Ham boss if we are not playing in Europe next season.

What a ride it has been though!

James Jones can be found at We Are West Ham, external