The most meaningful result at the weekend came at the Olympic Stadium.

Not because Palace were hammered - the manufactured rivalry with Albion has never really interested me.

West Ham won without Dimitri Payet, which sends an important message to the Frenchman and every other player who puts self-interest above the team.

Payet is a gifted midfielder. There is no argument about that.

My quarrel is with his behaviour and disrespect to the club he is employed by.

He has told West Ham he will never play for them again after they refused to sanction a move back to Marseille.

Payet has become far too big for his expensive Nike boots.

 

There was no hint of disharmony last season, when West Ham and the unpredictable 29-year-old performed so well together.

This season the Hammers have struggled. Payet has been part of that struggle. He should be rolling his sleeves up to help them, not slapping them in the face.

Personal reasons have been cited for father-of-three Payet's desire to return home with his wife. Funny that, we never heard anything about his family being unsettled when Slaven Bilic's side were flying.

Payet is good, but maybe not quite as good as he seems to think. After starring for West Ham to earn a place in France's squad for the Euro finals, he thought he would get another move.

Big clubs did not flock to buy him. Maybe word has got around not to touch him with a barge pole.

West Ham will have to sell. It is the only logical conclusion to the situation. The Palace result demonstrated they may just be better off without him.

Contrast Payet's attitude with that of Dale Stephens at Albion (below), the target of multiple bids from Burnley during the summer transfer window.

The Argus: He wanted the chance of a move to the Premier League and return home to Lancashire.

He handed in a transfer request on the final day of the window and, once it closed, issued a statement to fans via Twitter expressing his disappointment at the club's stance.

It is at this point we see the difference between Payet and Stephens. The latter, under contract until the summer, has knuckled down to help Albion into a commanding position in the promotion race.

His commitment to the cause all the while he is at the club is beyond reproach. Chris Hughton would not have selected him 18 times in the Championship since the summer window shut if he had any doubts.

Albion's challenge has been founded on a close-knit squad playing for each other and the manager.

Due diligence over the character of any potential striker signing during the rest of the January window will count for as much as what they might contribute in goals or assists.

Who ever comes in will not be an automatic pick, with Glenn Murray, Tomer Hemed and Sam Baldock for company.

Like Stephens, they will have to knuckle down and fight for a place.

Anyone prone to sulking needs to be crossed off the list. Albion do not want a bad apple like Payet upsetting the cart.