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Oliver Glasner refused to blame Crystal Palace’s 2-0 defeat to West Ham on the departure of key players, insisting he had the squad to win.

The Austrian was without two more players in the 24 hours leading up to the season opener after the departures of Joachim Andersen and Jordan Ayew to Fulham and Leicester respectively were finalised on Friday.

Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen scored in the second half to secure victory for Julen Lopetegui’s team.

And while the Eagles manager admitted the noise of a particularly busy transfer window had unsettled his players, Glasner did not blame the two goals in five second-half minutes for jeopardising his team’s transfer window.

He said: “It would be easy (to blame the noise), that’s always the easiest way, but it doesn’t help us, so we don’t make excuses.

“We had enough situations today where we could have scored and especially in the two situations where we conceded goals, we didn’t defend well enough.

“I think we defended well in many situations, but not well in those two transitional moments, because in the first half we lost the ball in their 16-yard box and in the end, without having won a single duel, they were in our penalty area.

“There were many situations where we could have solved it, but we didn’t. So it’s our own fault and that’s what we have to improve.”

The visitors started strongly but Palace gradually came into the game. The best chance for either side came three minutes before half-time when Eberechi Eze fired a shot against the crossbar.

Glasner’s men had chances, but it was Soucek who broke the deadlock in the 67th minute, before Bowen made it 2-0 five minutes later.

Substitute Ismaila Sarr came close to reducing the deficit but, like Eze, he was stopped by the woodwork on his home debut, sending the home side home empty-handed.

Palace host Norwich in the Carabao Cup as they hope to avoid three straight defeats when they travel to Stamford Bridge on September 1.

Glasner added: “When you start with two losses it’s important to get closer and stay together, and that’s what we will do.

“That is important for all of us now: not to dream about what was three months ago, not to dream about what will be in a few months, but to stay in the present.

“Don’t talk about who left us, don’t talk about who’s coming. This team today, everyone who played, everyone who was on the bench, could have won this game.”

West Ham manager Lopetegui was relieved by his team’s improved second-half performance, especially after their season-opener defeat to Aston Villa.

He said: “It was a very balanced game, in my opinion, especially the first half. But we got the three points, we are happy, but above all because the players fought very well to get the three points.

“We suffered a lot in this pre-season. We had a very strange pre-season for many reasons.

“It’s a good feeling that Edson (Alvarez) has arrived (from injury), it’s a good feeling that Alphonse (Areola) has arrived here and that the rest of the players are all involved in the teamwork.”

West Ham’s odd schedule means they won’t leave London until their trip to Nottingham Forest on November 2. However, Lopetegui insisted he treats every game in the capital the same.

He added: “We’re not going to know any other city! Always in London. For me it’s the same. If we play against one London team, it’s the same for me.

“I know it’s sometimes for the fans, but for me it’s the same. We want three points, that’s always very important.”