West Ham once again failed to see out a winning position as they were held to a 2–2 draw by Brighton, despite taking the lead on two separate occasions. It was another frustrating evening that highlighted the same defensive frailties that continue to plague Nuno Espírito Santo’s side.
Bright Start and Clinical Counter-Attack
West Ham started the match brightly. Although set up defensively as usual, the Hammers looked dangerous on the counter-attack.
That threat paid off in the 10th minute, when a rapid break saw Lucas Paquetá pick up the ball in a dangerous area and thread a perfect pass through to Jarrod Bowen, who finished confidently past Bart Verbruggen. The goal was reminiscent of Bowen’s Conference League-clinching strike in 2023 — though this time, the result did not end with the same joy.
Ollie Scarles almost doubled the lead shortly after, but his curling left-footed effort towards the far post drifted narrowly wide.
Defensive Chaos and Two Penalties Conceded
The momentum quickly swung against West Ham. Within 22 minutes, Max Kilman once again proved costly, making a reckless late challenge on Yankuba Minteh inside the box. The referee pointed straight to the spot, and Danny Welbeck calmly sent Alphonse Areola the wrong way to level the score.
Things nearly got worse just three minutes later. Paquetá’s moment of madness — a rugby-style tackle on Lewis Dunk while defending a corner — resulted in another penalty for Brighton.
This time, however, Welbeck failed to capitalise. His attempted panenka struck the crossbar and was cleared, sparking heated scenes as Potts, Bowen and Fernandes confronted Welbeck for his showboating. A large scuffle followed, with Brighton players visibly losing their composure.
Paquetá Redeems Himself Before the Break
Paquetá went from villain to hero right on the stroke of half-time.
A Callum Wilson shot appeared to be brilliantly blocked by Dunk, but after a lengthy VAR review, the defender was judged to have handled the ball. The decision was absolutely correct.
Paquetá stepped up and converted the penalty into the bottom-right corner with a stuttered run-up, restoring West Ham’s lead at 2–1.
Brighton Dominate Second Half
Brighton came out strongly after the break and maintained control for much of the second half. The introduction of Kaoru Mitoma just before the hour mark immediately caused problems for the Hammers’ defence.
The equaliser soon followed. Ferdi Kadioglu’s corner was dealt with embarrassingly by both Areola and Kilman, allowing Joel Veltman the simplest of finishes at the back post. It was a hugely disappointing goal to concede, especially given West Ham’s recent improvement in defending set-pieces.
Late Pressure and Narrow Escape
Crysencio Summerville was introduced to provide an outlet, and West Ham did look dangerous on occasion. However, the withdrawal of Callum Wilson left the team without a physical presence up front, making it difficult to sustain attacks.
Brighton continued to press, with Kadioglu, Mitoma and Groß all going close. Mitoma’s chance was the biggest: a neat one-two with Kadioglu saw him fire a shot that Areola spilled onto the goal line, only for Kilman to clear it at the last moment.
Despite a late triple substitution — including Tomáš Souček — it was Brighton who applied most of the pressure in the closing stages.
Verdict: A Lucky Point and Big Worries Ahead
Looking at the match as a whole, West Ham were fortunate to escape with a point. Brighton enjoyed more possession, created more chances, registered a higher xG, and missed a penalty that could have put them ahead.
Still, it feels like a poor result, especially after leading twice. The defensive issues remain glaring, and Kilman simply cannot continue in this form. Reinforcements in the January transfer window are now essential.
With crucial fixtures against Wolves and Nottingham Forest coming up, the situation is clear: six points are a must. Failure to deliver could all but confirm West Ham’s relegation fears.
st-win” moments this season — including a cup final defeat to St Mirren — where failure felt unthinkable.
