West Ham vs Brighton: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

The inconsistent nature of West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion suggests that we expect a draw in this game.

At home, West Ham United have been relatively strong in recent weeks, with three wins in five and only one loss to Arsenal, and their recent victory was a 2-1 win over Wolves in a high-pressure game for Julen Lopetegui.

Brighton & Hove Albion are now without a win in four league games following their recent 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace. Brighton have drawn twice in their last four games, with neither side keeping a clean sheet in their previous three.

Expect goals in this one. Over 2.5 goals have been scored in seven of the previous nine games involving the Hammers and eight of the last nine involving Brighton.

We expect a draw in this game, with goals for each side. We predict the game will end 2-2.

West Ham 2-2 Brighton and Hove Albion

Two sides that have recently been inconsistent in their form will meet at the London Stadium as West Ham United hosts Brighton & Hove Albion.

Date: 21/12/2024
Location: London Stadium
Kick-Off: 3 pm

Julen Lopetegui survived a potential scare against his former employers in Wolves, with rumours surrounding his job circulating if his West Ham side failed to win their game. The Hammers have been a mix of inconsistency this season, as they sit mid-table after 16 games played. The home side play AFC Bournemouth before their home tie with Brighton, although they will remain 14th regardless of the result.

As for Brighton & Hove Albion, their early season form, which had shown quite some promise, has slowly dwindled, although the Seagulls are still within reach of a potential European place. Brighton are in ninth place in the Premier League; however, there is only one point separating the Seagulls from sixth place AFC Bournemouth. A win would move the Seagulls into the top six but would require results elsewhere to fall in their favour.

The recent meeting between the two teams ended 0-0 at the London Stadium last season, with the game at the American Express Stadium ending in a 3-1 defeat for Brighton & Hove Albion.

The game will not be available to watch in the UK.

Emerson will be available for the Hammers after serving his suspension against Bournemouth.

Brighton have a collective of injury issues, with the likes of Adam Webster and Ferdi Kadioglu likely to be unavailable against West Ham United.

The recent history between the two teams suggests that Brighton & Hove Albion will be the favourites for this game against West Ham United. The Seagulls have won three of the previous five meetings between the two teams. Even more impressively, the Seagulls have been unbeaten away at the London Stadium in all of the league meetings since they arrived in the Premier League in 2017. The last time West Ham United recorded a victory over Brighton at home in 2012, when both teams were in the Championship, as the Hammers recorded a 6-0 win over the Seagulls. Six of the last eight meetings at the London Stadium between the two teams have resulted in draws.

West Ham United have confounded people this season with their form, as they have not maintained a consistent run of form whenever they obtain a credible result. The Hammers beat the likes of Manchester United (2-1) and would then only win once in their next five - including two consecutive defeats against Arsenal (2-5) and Leicester City (3-1). The Hammers come into this game having won two of their last five league games (which could change as they face AFC Bournemouth before this game).

At home, West Ham United have been relatively strong in recent weeks, with three wins in five and only one loss to Arsenal, and their recent victory was a 2-1 win over Wolves in a high-pressure game for Julen Lopetegui. They need to improve their form at home overall, as the Hammers have won three of their eight home games this season, having drawn once and lost four.

Brighton & Hove Albion are now without a win in four league games following their recent 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace. Brighton have drawn twice in their last four games, with the away side keeping a clean sheet in their previous three. Before this, Brighton had won four of their last six league games, and since this blip, they have slipped down the Premier League table.

Away from home, Brighton have averaged 1.19 points per game this season, with three wins, two draws and three losses from their eight league games away from home. The Seagulls have lost two of their last five games away from home, winning twice against Newcastle United (0-1) and AFC Bournemouth (1-2).

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