WEST Ham manager Sam Allardyce paid tribute to Crystal Palace's defensive qualities after The Eagles' 1-0 win at Upton Park.
Palace kept their fourth clean sheet in five matches, as they moved onto 43 points with victory over their London rivals.
And Allardyce said: "It was always going to be difficult to break them [Palace] down because they are the best team defensively, I think, in the Premier League based on how they shape up and close the ball.
"Because they are in such good form as well in terms of results, beating teams like Everton and Chelsea, the game was going to be difficult in breaking them down.
"We gave it every effort we possibly could but we couldn't put the ball in the back of the net when we had the chance and the opportunity to do so."
