West Ham United goalkeeper Joe Hart has talked up the importance of earning victory against Crystal Palace in Saturday afternoon's Premier League clash at Selhurst Park.

The Hammers make the short trip to South London on the back of a disappointing run of form in the top flight, losing five and winning just two of their first nine games.

United earned an impressive 3-2 win against another of their rivals in Tottenham Hotspur last time out in the EFL Cup, however, coming back from two goals down to progress through to the quarter-finals.

Hart hopes to finally string some victories together, as his team come face-to-face with a Palace side sitting five points worse off at the foot of the division.

"We've had wins, big wins, and not followed them up," he told Sky Sports News. "Saturday is a humongous game, no matter what had happened at Wembley, Saturday is a huge game. We want to bring that second half form into Saturday.

"We're approaching it as the biggest game of the season. Crystal Palace are our cup final right now. We need to get some points on the board, and we need to get the group of fans behind us, who are struggling at the moment, and I understand why.

"That's the most important thing. Palace are probably having the same meetings, discussions as we are, they have the same feelings about the game as us. It's a huge, important game, and we need to be right.

"We want to be in games, in charge of games, and don't want to have to react, but we did what we had to do. But that was one of however many games we've had this season, and one of the highlights, but there has been a lot that hasn't been good enough."

Palace have won just one of their last six Premier League meetings against West Ham, losing four of those.