West Ham restored their two-point lead over Tottenham and the bottom three with a 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace that confirmed Wolves' relegation from the Premier League.
Spurs endured a difficult weekend, but this result opens the door for Roberto De Zerbi's side in their fight for survival ahead of Saturday's trip to Wolves, who, after an eight-year stay, become the first side relegated from the top flight this season.
West Ham have given themselves another week outside the drop zone but may look back on this as a missed opportunity after seeing Nottingham Forest and Leeds win and Spurs take a big step forward in their performance.
Opta rate West Ham as having the toughest final fixtures of all the teams battling at the bottom, with games against Everton, Brentford, Arsenal, Newcastle and Leeds still to play.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side failed to create a big opening in the second half and very nearly conceded a late goal only for Ismaila Sarr's strike to be ruled out for an unnecessary handball by fellow Palace substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Late in the first half West Ham's Taty Castellanos had an acrobatic effort that was heading in cleared by Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix – who overcame an injury scare to start – after Dean Henderson's miscued punch nearly left the goal gaping.
Henderson made amends shortly after his error by producing a fine save to keep out Konstantinos Mavropanos. The West Ham defender, scorer of two goals in the win over Wolves, perhaps could have done better, his header too close to the keeper.
Former Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson, yet to score since his £35m January move, spurned a glorious chance to give Palace an early lead against the run of play, heading well wide when completely unmarked in the box.
For all the talk of Palace potentially dropping off after their celebrations in Florence on Thursday after reaching the Conference League semi-finals, Oliver Glasner's side finished the stronger and extend their unbeaten run to four games to move up to 13th.
West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen to Your Site:
"It's probably a bit of both.
"Palace are really good at home and on a high after getting into a European semi-final. We knew it was going to be really difficult and that we'd have to defend really well.
"We did have some chances that on another day could go in. We did come here to win the game.
"But I don't think a point here is the worst thing in the world."
Former West Ham striker Dean Ashton to Your Site:
"It feels like a tiny opportunity missed for West Ham with the way Crystal Palace played, and even the way they themselves played in the first half.
"They had enough opportunities in the penalty area to get that goal.
"But Crystal Palace away is not an easy fixture, so right now, it has to be a positive result."
West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo to Your Site:
"We performed well. We were organised and compact. Tough match. Our offensive process, the combinations didn't quite go – the final ball, the final touch.
"The game was very balanced. It's a tough shape to play against. It's brought them a lot of success. It's hard because they are good players. You cannot find the gaps. They are a threat on the counter-attacks.
"We were solid. It's going to be a fight until the end.
"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."
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner:
"Maybe they were expecting us to be a little bit fatigued and not focused, and I (told the players), 'It's you who have to give the answer'. It's not important what I want, it's the players, and I think, yes, they showed it.
"They gave the right answer that yes, they are focused, that they are committed, that they are really willing to work hard until the end."
Your Site' Zinny Boswell:
Definitively answering whether this was a missed opportunity for West Ham will have to wait until the Premier League's final day if Nuno Espirito Santo's prediction proves to be correct. The inescapable reality for the Hammers is that Spurs will be celebrating their draw at Palace.
No one can be picky about when points are picked up in a battle at the bottom, but timing, in this instance, was everything. Spurs may have failed to win yet again, but there were signs of clear improvement before Brighton scored that crushing late equaliser.
Snuffing out that hope with a win would have moved West Ham four points clear and plunged Spurs into a position from which only five teams have managed to stay up in Premier League history. Instead, they could feasibly be out of the drop zone on Saturday.
Spurs go to already-relegated Wolves, surely their best chance of a first league win in 2026, while the Hammers go to European-chasing Everton. Both games kick-off at 3pm and, because of the potential momentum shift, take on huge importance in the relegation battle.
West Ham have a much tougher fixture schedule, with their next three fixtures against teams either trying to qualify for Europe or in the Premier League title race, and all eight of their league wins this season have come against sides currently in the bottom half.
Trying to predict how Spurs might play is a fool's game, but there is every chance that once they eventually do end their wait for a first league win of the calendar year, a weight will be lifted. West Ham must now hope that it does not happen on Saturday.
