SAM ALLARDYCE hopes West Ham crumble under the fear factor of playing at the London Stadium.
Boss Big Sam is desperate to get his first three points at struggling Crystal Palace, after taking over last month, and lift the spirits of his players.
And he sees the away trip to his former club as the perfect opportunity, with the Hammers still struggling to settle in at their new ground, plus the added distraction of the Dimitri Payet row.
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Allardyce said: “If there are any fears left in their players because of the new stadium then we need to try to take advantage of it.
“If we can put pressure on them and try to score the first goal then that will be very important.
“I went back with Sunderland and the reception I got was all right — but if we start winning, it won’t be too clever.
“I had four happy years at West Ham and one of the reasons I am at Palace is because of London. I enjoyed living here.
“It is my first time at the new stadium and it will interesting to see behind the scenes.
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“But struggling to adjust to your new surroundings happens to every club who go into a new stadium.”
Allardyce left West Ham in May 2015 just after their final game of the season when his contract was not renewed.
He added: “The quality of the team when I left compared to the quality when I started was at another level.
“It was a level that was good enough to finish in and around the top half of the table, no problem.”
Allardyce knows he needs to beef up his back four in order to get his first win as Palace boss.
And yesterday he completed the £12million signing of Leicester wing-back Jeffrey Schlupp, 24, on a 4½-year deal.
The Palace chief said: “We have to make sure we get a win sooner or later because the longer it goes on, the more fearful the players get.”
Hammers counterpart Slaven Bilic insists the January window is useless.
He is hunting a replacement for Payet, who has declared he no longer wants to play for the club.
The Hammers have had no joy in landing either former striker Jermain Defoe or Brentford hotshot Scott Hogan.
And Bilic said: “Some managers are saying this January transfer window should not be there — that it is useless.
“In one sense they are right and I think that as well.”
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