Mile Jedinak scored the only goal of the game to give Palace the win[GETTY]The Eagles - a shambles when Tony Pulis succeeded Ian Holloway in November - are safe from relegation and can complete their fixture card without any pressure.
And what a fixture card it is: Manchester City arrive at Selhurst Park on Sunday, then Liverpool on Monday, May 5. Finally, there is a short trip to Fulham.
It is likely all three of those opponents will have to beat Palace to remain on course to achieve their respective goals; it is certain that none will take them lightly.
Pulis, for his part, was keen to play down expectations even though those have already been greatly exceeded in this part of south London.
"I'm not really concerned about Liverpool, Man City or Fulham, it's just about making sure we try to end the season well for our supporters," he said.
"Both Liverpool and Man City are wonderful teams - Fulham are in a little bit of trouble so that could be an interesting game - but for me now I just want to enjoy the moment of what we have achieved, which is wonderful."
Indeed it is. Palace had not won five successive top-flight games since 1992, with the sequence beginning with a 1-0 home victory over Chelsea at the end of May.
With nothing now to play for but pride, Pulis knows performances could slack off but the Welshman was reassured by the display at West Ham, who were beaten by Mile Jedinak's second-half penalty.
Crystal Palace have now won five Premier League matches in a row [GETTY]I'm not really concerned about Liverpool, Man City or Fulham, it's just about making sure we try to end the season well for our supporters
"I thought we played with freedom," he said. "We had five or six players in the box at times and, when we break, we break with great pace, power and a little bit of quality as well.
"But I would rather have that little bit of pressure because they have done bloody marvelous with it - five straight wins. But it's two great games for us against great football clubs. They are on a different level to us but the supporters will enjoy it."
Whether West Ham's supporters will enjoy anything ever again under Sam Allardyce remains to be seen. Once again they were on his back, either booing or sarcastically cheering substitutions and telling him he does not know what he is doing.
The bile poured out in spite of the fact they were also mourning Dylan Tombides, the 20-year-old Australian striker who had died of testicular cancer the day before the game.
Father Jim and brother Taylor carried his number 38 shirt, which will now be retired in his honour, to the centre circle before the game and there was more applause to mark his passing in the 38th minute.
Carlton Cole was booed when he came on at Upton Park [GETTY]Yet shamefully it was not long before those supporters had Allardyce on their minds. The introduction of Carlton Cole was booed because that would mean more long balls, Joe Cole was cheered because he likes to play the 'West Ham way' - even though he has not made much of a contribution for a long while and did not in this game.
Even Palace's Danny Gabbidon, a West Ham player in the pre-Allardyce era, was cheered when he came on, even though the Hammers had been no more successful when he wore the shirt than they are now.
"They did a grand job before the game," said Allardyce wearily of the fans afterwards. "They paid their had-earned money to come and watch a game of football. They want you to win and score goals and we didn't do that so in many ways we've let them and ourselves down."
West Ham (4-2-3-1): Adrian 6; McCartney 6, Tomkins 6, Reid 6, Armero 4; Noble 6, Diame 7; Jarvis 6 (C Cole 70), Nolan 6 (Nocerino 85), Downing 6 (J Cole 72); Carroll 7. Booked: McCartney.
Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1): Speroni 8; Mariappa 7, Dann 7, Delaney 7, Ward 7; Dikcagoi 7, Jedinak 8; Bolasie 8 (Parr 90), Ledley 6, Puncheon 7 (Gabbidon 87); Jerome 6 (Murray 82). Booked: Murray.
Referee: M Atkinson (West Yorkshire).
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