26 April 2025
Brighton 3 West Ham 2
Fabian Hurzeler’s side welcomed West Ham to the Amex Stadium. The manager has been struggling to get a tune out of his Seagulls in the back end of the season and the chances of securing European football were becoming a more distant dream with every dropped point. An out of form Hammers side could be just the tonic to get back to winning ways.
Interestingly, Fullkrug was to start on the bench for this game but Graham Potter said it had nothing to do with his comments in the media after their last game. The toxicity within The Hammers setup is there for all to see and the fans are not happy with the way things are going under their new manager. The former Chelsea coach must feel like a man heading to the gallows right now.
The visitors started in positive fashion, playing the ball around and moving into pockets of space. Wan-Bissaka got down the flank before cutting back to Soucek in the box. He tried an instinctive first-time shot but could only find the side netting. They needed players making these runs into the final third as they were technically playing without a striker here.
However, the visitors were soon to have their confidence deflated. As The Seagulls came forward, it was worked to Ayari outside the box. He took one touch to control it before unleashing a superb effort that arrowed into the top corner of the goal. There was nothing Areola could do about it as the Brighton man got himself a ‘goal of the month’ contender.
The Hammers tried to find a way back into the game as Emerson put an inviting cross into the middle. Soucek rose to meet it but Verbruggen made a superb fingertip save to send it onto the crossbar to deny the visitors a goal. The Seagulls’ stopper has been in fine form this season and many sides across Europe have sent scouts to watch him as a result.
Since Graham Potter has taken charge of West Ham, they have amassed a mere thirteen points from his thirteen games in charge. Only the bottom three have a lower points return and this really shows how the league table does not lie, with The Hammers being one place above the soon to be relegated sides at the foot of the table.
Whatever he said at the interval seemed to do the trick as his side managed to find a way back into the game. Bowen made a run into the box and was gifted the freedom of Brighton as he had all the time and space he could have wished for. His pass picked out Kudus in the middle, who swept it home to get the visitors back on level terms.
The Seagulls were keen to get a goal and Wieffer met a corner in middle of the box but Areola made a good block to deny him. Dunk reacted the quickest to the loose ball but West Ham got defenders in the way to deny him. The Hammers went straight down the other end and Wan-Bissaka fired a shot off at goal but Verbruggen got down well to keep it out.
Heading into the final ten minutes of the game, fans wondered if either side could find that goal to take all three points. Bowen curled a teasing ball into the far post and Soucek arrived to head home as the away end erupted. Wins at the moment for The Hammers were coming with all the regularity of Danny Dyer films, they just needed to hold onto this one.
Part of the reason for their problems is that they just seem too easy to open up in defence. Brighton underlined this as a cross was drifted into the back post. Gruda headed it across goal and Mitoma had maybe the simplest header in his football career as he put it in the back of the net to get the hosts back on level terms in the 89th minute.
This was becoming all too much of a regular feeling for the West Ham fans. Throwing away points from positions of strength. Now they had to try and hold on to get something from this game. You could see the heads dropping in everyone, players and fans alike. Confidence is a fragile thing and it seems currently that The Hammers were severely lacking in this department.
Brighton forced a corner, deep into added time. As they played it short, Minteh pinged a cross into the box but it was punched clear by Areola. Gruda worked it to Baleba outside the box and he curled one into the far corner, leaving the West Ham keeper rooted to the spot. The Amex Stadium erupted as they grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat.
Did you enjoy this article? Please share to your social media. With one click you can help spread the word and make Solid at the Back the one-stop shop for all Premier League fans.