West Ham boss David Moyes declared he was 'embarrassed to be speaking on behalf of the team' after the Hammers' European ambitions were dealt a significant blow in their 5-2 thrashing at Crystal Palace.
The visitors were already facing a 4-0 deficit 31 minutes after kick-off at Selhurst Park thanks to Michael Olise's nodded opener and an audacious overhead Eberechi Eze effort as well as the first of two for Jean-Philippe Mateta and an Emerson own goal. Antonio clawed one back before the break and Moyes' men could take no credit for their second, a late own goal credited to Dean Henderson, who turned in Tyrick Mitchell's backpass one minute from time.
Moyes, who shot back tersely when asked about his job security, was far more forthcoming when it came to his scathing assessment of the Irons' performance, saying: «The first half was as bad as I've seen us play. We've had three or four of these incidents.
»I don't think the team in the three years I have been here have gone to the depths, in three or four games this year. The first half was unacceptable. We mainly were defending, the way we started the game, we're not connected in the way we've played.
«You can't play this level of football in the Premier League. We didn't compete. It was hard to actually explain it.
»I'm so disappointed for the supporters who came here today and in truth I'm embarrassed to sit here and actually be speaking on behalf of the team and the way they performed today but I'm the manager. I've got to say I've not had many teams who have played like that in my whole career."
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