So, with the potential to 'do' the Chelsea we wee looking at a possible 12 points out of 12 in the four game sequence we're in the middle of...
of course, being West Ham, we contrived not to win two of the 'easy' games and so now find ourselves facing Pardew and Palace with only 2 points in the bank out of a possible 6 and a max of 8 from those four games...
is this the beginning of an inevitable slide down the table...?
has Slaven managed to correct the wobbles over the international break?
There's no reason why we can't beat Palace... but then that's the point with West Ham... we often don't beat the teams we should.
On top of all that, the pressure is on for a good performance because this might well be the last game I get to watch before Xmas because I'm heading down to sunny Kiwiland and I've not idea what time or day the games will even be on, if indeed there's anyway to see them at all...
So all things being equal...
Here's the stats...
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Crystal Palace have only lost one of their last seven league meetings with West Ham (W4, D2).
However, the Hammers did win 3-1 when the teams met at Selhurst Park last season.
Both meetings between these sides last term ended in 3-1 wins to the away team.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace are yet to draw a match in any competition this season (W7, L3).
They have only conceded two goals in their last four league games.
Fifteen of the 18 goals (for and against) in Palace's Premier League games this season have come in the second half.
The last time Palace had this many points after eight games of a top-flight season was in 1990-91, when they ended the campaign in third.
Alan Pardew has won 58% of his Premier League games as Crystal Palace manager, compared to the 36% he won as West Ham boss between 2003 and 2006.
West Ham
West Ham are unbeaten in their last five Premier League games (W3, D2).
They have the best away record in the top flight this season with three wins and one draw. They have not gone five Premier League away games without defeat since a seven-match run in January 2009.
The Hammers have scored 17 goals in their eight league games this campaign - only Manchester City (19) have scored more.
Dimitri Payet has been involved in 14 goals (five goals, nine assists) in his last 16 league appearances in England and France.