Sam Allardyce claims leaked team news is 'part of the job' as West Ham boss recalls when his team may have been victims of spying ahead of Man United clash

By David Kent for MailOnline

Published: 06:49 EST, 19 April 2014 | Updated: 06:49 EST, 19 April 2014

West Ham boss Same Allardyce believes the leaking of team news has become common-place in the Premier League and has even claimed that the Hammers have been victims of spying this season.

The revelation arrives ahead of his team's Premier League clash against Crystal Palace, who are currently under investigation after being accused of sourcing Cardiff City's team 24 hours before the relegation rivals were due to play on April 5.

The Bluebirds have since called for the 3-0 defeat to be scrapped and have submitted a formal complaint to the Premier League, but Allardyce believes teams should just accept that it's now part of the job.

Part of the job: Sam Allardyce believes team line-ups being leaked happens all the time in the Premier League

Common-place: Allardyce (right) was concerned that Manchester United had acquired West Ham's team

He told the Daily Express: 'I've experienced it and it is life. We played here in training and there was a photographer in the garden taking pictures of our team and they had our line-up before we played Manchester United to the man. Phil Neville told me they had our line-up anyway.

'It doesn't make a lot of difference to me. In the days of technology that we have now predictive teams are a part of your job.

'I can understand them [Cardiff] being upset but I don't think the lengths they want the Premier League to go to will happen.

'The manager might decide that someone is not playing well but generally we are within one or two in terms of our predictions and very rare any more than that.' 

Controversial: Crystal Palace eased to a 3-0 Premier League win against Cardiff on April 5

Innocent: Palace boss Tony Pulis insists he would never take any notice of leaked team news