7 DECEMBER 2025
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 1 WEST HAM UNITED 1 -
PREMIER LEAGUE
at the AMERICAN EXPRESS STADIUM. FALMER.
Matchday 15 saw Albion entertain West Ham United in the Premier, the match being covered "live" by Sky Sports and broadcast by BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
A few days previously, on the 3 December the Albion had lost 3-4 at home to Aston Villa and for the visit of the Hammers Albion made two changes to their starting line-up from the Villa game, with Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck coming in for Brajan Gruda and Stefanos Tzimas (injured).
Last time out in the Premier, the Hammers had drawn 1-1 at Manchester United on the 4 December and for the visit to the Amex Head Coach Nuno Espirito Santo made four changes to his starting line-up from the United game, with Maximilian Kilman, Guido Rodriguez, Lucas Paqueta and Crysencio Summerville replacing Soungoutou Magassa, Freddie Potts, Tomas Soucek and Callum Wilson, the latter four dropping down to the substitutes bench.
The Hammers started this season under the stewardship of former Albion Head Coach Graham Potter but after Hammers poor start to the season Potter was sacked and replaced by Nuno Espirito Santo.
In their meetings in the Premier last season, the teams drew 1-1 at the London Stadium on the 21 December 2024, with Mats Wieffer (51m) scoring for the Seagulls and Mohammed Kudus (58m) equalising for the Hammers. In the return game at the Amex on the 26 April 2025 it was 3-2 to the Albion, with their goals coming from Yasin Ayari (13m), Kaoru Mitoma (89m) and Carlos Baleba (90+2m),whilst Mohammed Kudus (48m) and Tomas Soucek (83m) netted for the Hammers.
The match started in heavy rain and high winds, with Georginio Rutter firing a shot off target for the Seagulls and Crysencio Summerville seeing his effort saved by Albion keeper Bart Verbruggen before the offside flag was raised. Next, Albion's Mats Wieffer and Rutter had their shots blocked by West Ham defender Jean-Clair Todibo. Wieffer then saw his header from Maxim De Cuyper's cross miss the target from six yards out.
Prior to the break, Lucas Paqueta's low drive was tipped around the post by Verbruggen. Summerville raced clear on the left but his final shot missed the goal by a considerable margin.
Half-time 0-0.
First chance of the second-half fell to the Hammers but El Hadji Malick Diouf sent his shot from Aaron Wan-Bissaka's centre high over the bar. The visitors continued to create chances as Konstantinos Mavropanos headed over the Albion bar from Mateus Fernandes free-kick and then Verbruggen made a superb double-save as he parried Jarrod Bowen's shot and from the rebound tipped Summerville's piledriver over the bar.
Albion's Yankuba Minteh then sent a shot over the bar after a fine run.
The Hammers took the lead on 73 minutes when substitute Callum Wilson set-up Bowen whose fine shot from the left flashed into the bottom corner of Verbruggen's net. 0-1.
This setback sparked the Albion into action as West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola tipped Wieffer's header on to the bar and then Albion substitute Charalampos Kostoulas saw his header go wide. Areola then made a series of saves to keep his team ahead but in the first minute of time added on a goalmouth melee ended with Rutter firing home from close-range. A lengthy VAR check then took place after which the goal was confirmed. 1-1. There was still time for Mavropanos to head narrowly wide for the Hammers.
Final-score 1-1.
Match stats:
Albion had 22 attempts at goal, with 4 on target and won 10 corners, free-kicks conceded - 12.
West Ham had 14 attempts at goal, with 5 on target and won 6 corners, free-kicks conceded - 8.
VERDICT - A poor game, littered with mistakes this one. Albion only started to get their game together after West Ham had gone ahead on 73 minutes. Keeper Bart Verbruggen's saves kept Albion in the game. The Seagulls will have to improve if they want to come away with a result from Anfield this weekend.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Bart VERBRUGGEN; Mats WIEFFER, Jan Paul VAN HECKE, Lewis DUNK (Capt), Ferdi KADIOGLU (Olivier BOSCAGLI 83); Carlos BALEBA (Jack HINSHELWOOD 60), Diego GOMEZ; Yankuba MINTEH (Brajan GRUDA 72), Georginio RUTTER, Maxim DE CUYPER (Charalampos KOSTOULAS 72); Danny WELBECK.
Subs not used: Jason STEELE (G/K), Diego COPPOLA, Joel VELTMAN, Joe KNIGHT, Nehemiah ORIOLA.
West Ham line-up (3-4-1-2):- Alphonse AREOLA; Konstantinos MAVROPANOS, Maximilian KILMAN, Jean-Clair TODIBO; Aaron WAN-BISSAKA, Mateus FERNANDES (Soungoutou MAGASSA 82), Guido RODRIGUEZ (Freddie POTTS 64), El Hadji Malick DIOUF (Ezra MAYERS 83); Lucas PAQUETA (Tomas SOUCEK 82); Jarrod BOWEN (Capt), Crysencio SUMMERVILLE (Callum WILSON 72).
Subs not used: Mads HERMANSEN (G/K), Andrew IRVING, Kyle WALKER-PETERS, Niclas FULLKRUG.
Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire).
Fourth Official: Robert Jones.
VAR Official: Tony Harrington.
Yellow Cards: Albion: 2 - Lewis Dunk, Ferdi Kadioglu. West Ham: 2 - Guido Rodriguez, Freddie Potts.
Possession: Albion - 68%. West Ham - 32%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham).
Attendance: 31293.
NEXT GAME:
13 DECEMBER 2025 - LIVERPOOL - AWAY - PREMIER LEAGUE - KICK-OFF 15.00.
Jack Kaye.