30 DECEMBER 2025
WEST HAM UNITED 2 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 2
PREMIER LEAGUE - at the LONDON STADIUM, EAST LONDON.
For their final game of 2025 the Albion made the short trip to East London to meet West Ham United in the Premier at the London Stadium, the game being covered by the Talksport network and BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
In their previous outing the Albion had lost 1-2 at top of the table Arsenal on the 27 December and for their visit to West Ham the Albion made four changes to their starting line-up from the Arsenal game, with Joel Veltman, James Milner, Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck replacing Diego Coppola, Jack Hinshelwood, Brajan Gruda and Georginio Rutter.
Under former Albion Head Coach Graham Potter the Hammers had made a poor start to the campaign and Potter was replaced by former Nottingham Forest Head Coach Nino Espirito Santo. Results did not improve and at the time of Albion's visit the Hammers occupied one of the relegation places. Last time out the Hammers had lost 0-1 at home to Fulham in the Premier on the 27 December and for Albion's visit Nuno Espirito Santo made one change to his starting line-up from the Fulham game, with Callum Wilson coming in for Crysencio Summerville.
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) netting for the Seagulls and Mohammed Kudus (58m) replying for the Hammers. In the return game at the Amex on the 26 April 2025 the Albion won 3-2 with their goals coming from Yasin Ayari (13m), Kaoru Mitoma (89m) and Carlos Baleba (90+2m) whilst Mohammed Kudus (48m) and Tomas Soucek (83m) scored for West Ham.
Early chances in this one fell to the Seagulls as West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola kept out Yankuba Minteh's header and Diego Gomez fired over the bar when well placed. The Hammers however took the lead on 10 minutes when Lucas Paqueta's exquisite through pass found the on-running Jarrod Bowen who coolly fired a low shot past Bart Verbruggen in the Brighton goal.0-1.
The Albion fought back to equalise on 32 minutes when Hammers defender Maximilian Kilman felled Minteh in the box and up-stepped Danny Welbeck to convert the penalty-kick. It was Welbeck's eighth goal of the season. 1-1. Within minutes the Albion were awarded a second penalty by Referee Michael Salisbury, this time after Paqueta had inexplicably wrestled Albion skipper Lewis Dunk to the floor following a corner but this time Welbeck's "panenka" spot-kick rebounded back into play off the crossbar. A costly miss. There was more penalty drama to follow in time added on when a VAR check adjudged that Dunk had handled Callum Wilson's shot and Paqueta calmly fired home the penalty. 1-2. It was the first time in the history of the Premier League that three penalties had been awarded in a first-half of football.
Half-time 1-2.
Albion were on the front foot from the start of the second-half and they got their reward on 61 minutes when from a corner Hammers keeper Areola flapped at Ferdi Kadioglu's corner, the ball fell to the lurking Joel Veltman who tapped the ball home from close-in. 2-2.
It was now end-to-end stuff as both teams went for a winner. Verbruggen saved Bowen's goal-bound header and at the other end Areiola made three saves in keeping out efforts from Yasin Ayari, substitutes Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter. In the end both teams had to settle for a share of the spoils.
Final-score 2-2.
Match stats:
Albion had 16 attempts at goal, with 6 on target and won 5 corners, free-kicks conceded - 18.
West Ham had 10 attempts at goal, with 4 on target and won 5 corners, free-kicks conceded - 11.
VERDICT - A night of drama at the London Stadium ended all square, with Danny Welbeck being hailed as hero and villain in the same breath. During his time as Albion Head Coach Fabian Hurzeler has failed to win a game during the months of December 2024 and December 2025. Not a great stat!
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Bart VERBRUGGEN; Joel VELTMAN, Jan Paul VAN HECKE, Lewis DUNK (Capt), Ferdi KADIOGLU; Yasin AYARI, James MILNER (Jack HINSHELWOOD 72); Yankuba MINTEH (Brajan GRUDA 58), Diego GOMEZ (Georginio RUTTER 72), Maxim DE CUYPER (Kaoru MITOMA 58); Danny WELBECK (Charalampos KOSTOULAS 83).
Subs not used: Jason STEELE (G/K), Olivier BOSCAGLI, Diego COPPOLA, Tommy WATSON.
West Ham United line-up (4-2-3-1):- Alphonse AREOLA; Kyle WALKER-PETERS (Ezra MAYERS 83), Jean-Clair TODIBO (Konstantinos MAVROPANOS 48), Maximilian KILMAN, Ollie SCARLES; Soungoutou MAGASSA (Tomas SOUCEK 82), Freddie POTTS; Jarrod BOWEN (Capt), Mateus FERNANDES, Lucas PAQUETA (Mohamadou KANTE 83); Callum WILSON (Crysencio SUMMERVILLE 63).
Subs not used: Mads HERMANSEN (G/K), George EARTHY, Alridas GOLAMBECKIS, Guido RODRIGUEZ.
Referee: Michael Salisbury (Preston).
Fourth Official: Tom Nield.
VAR Official: Stuart Attwell.
Yellow Cards:
Albion: 5 - Jan Paul Van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, James Milner, Danny Welbeck, Charalampos Kostoulas.
West Ham: 3 - Maximilian Kilman, Jarrod Bowen, Mateus Fernandes.
Possession: Albion - 61%. West Ham - 39%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham).
Attendance: TBA.
STOP PRESS: PASCAL GROSS - It was announced on the 2 January 2026 that Pascal Gross had re-joined the Albion from Borussia Dortmund. The midfielder has signed a 18 month contract, effective until June 2027 on undisclosed terms.
Jack Kaye.
2 January 2026.