West Ham will host Brighton this Sunday for their third game of the 2022/23 Premier League season.
Venue: London Stadium (London)
Key Statistics
West Ham have failed to score in their opening two games.
The Hammers are winless in four league home games (D2, L2).
The hosts have won just two of their last eleven league games (D2, L7).
Brighton have recorded victories in five of their last six games against the Premier League top seven teams.
The visitors have scored the first goal in five of their last six away trips (W4, D1, L1).
West Ham keeper Łukasz Fabiański has never won a contest against Brighton (D6, L4).
Brighton’s Pascal Groß has seven goal involvements (G3, A4) from the eight games he has faced West Ham
Head to head
In ten Premier League games between both sides, West Ham has six wins while Brighton has four wins.
There hasn’t been a 0-0 draw between these sides since 1979.
Latest performances in all competitions
West Ham: W-L-L-D-D
Brighton: D-W-W-L-W
West Ham United
After their midweek exertions in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers, West Ham return to league action this Sunday looking to take home their first points of the season.
The Hammers come into this tie on the back of a 3-1 win over Danish club side Viborg in the final qualifier round of the Conference League. Summer signings Gianluca and Maxwel Cornet combined to open the scores for West Ham before second-half goals from Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio sealed the win and put them a step closer to group stage qualification.
But in the Premier League, things have not been as rosy for David Moyes and his boys as they have lost both of their opening league games by a 3-0 margin.
Their first loss was understandable as it was a 2-0 loss to Premier League champions Manchester City. But their last loss was a 1-0 loss to newcomers Nottingham Forest, which might worry fans who saw their team stumble over the line last season.
They will hope to avoid another defeat in this game as they look to replicate last season’s form, which saw them finish in the top seven. But to take any points from this game they will have to improve on their defending. The London side holds just one clean sheet in 13 league games, and that was against relegated Norwich. And so, a win in this game will probably come if they can keep a shutout against a team that beat them 3-1 last time both teams met.
Possible West Ham starting line-up
Lukasz Fabianski; Vladimir Coufal, Kurt Zouma, Benjamin Johnson, Aaron Cresswell; Tomas Soucek, Declan Rice; Pablo Fornals, Said Benrahma, Jarrod Bowen; Michail Antonio.
Injured: Naif Aguerd
Doubtful: Craig Dawson
Suspended: None
Brighton
After their credible 2-1 win over Manchester United in their opening game, Brighton continued their unbeaten start to the season by holding Newcastle United to a goalless draw last weekend.
The Seagulls are enjoying a purple patch despite the departure of key players Marc Cucurella and Yves Bissouma to Chelsea and Tottenham respectively.
They come into this tie without a loss in their last seven league games. After finishing in ninth place last season – their highest-ever Premier League placing – they will hope to push a step further this season by targeting European qualification.
For a team that were playing in the Championship a few seasons ago, that represents an almost impossible task. But under the guidance of the brilliant Graham Potter, a push for European places does not seem impossible. The Englishman has transformed the Seagulls who boast an impressive recent record against last season’s PL top seven, recording victories in five of their last six contests versus those teams (L1).
Given that they are unbeaten against the Hammers in each of their last ten Premier League meetings (W4, D6), they will come into this tie confident of getting a good result.
Possible Brighton starting line-up
Robert Sanchez; Joel Veltman, Lewis Dunk, Adam Webster; Tariq Lamptey, Adam Lallana, Moises Caicedo, Leandro Trossard; Alexis Mac Allister, Pascal Groß; Danny Welbeck.
Injured: Jakub Moder
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
West Ham 1-2 Brighton
