West Ham United 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Coral’s post-match review of West Ham United 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Tuesday, 30 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

It finished all square at the London Stadium as West Ham United drew 2-2 with Brighton & Hove Albion. The Hammers got off to a flyer when Jarrod Bowen slotted home in the 10th minute, assisted by Lucas Paquetá, giving them an early lead that reflected their determination after a run of recent losses including defeats to Fulham, Manchester City and Aston Villa. Brighton fought back though, with Danny Welbeck converting a penalty in the 32nd minute to level things up, but West Ham regained the advantage just before the break when Lucas Paquetá scored from the spot in the 45+4th minute following a VAR check involving Callum Wilson.

The second half saw Brighton push hard, and they equalised again through Joël Veltman in the 61st minute, making it a tense finish with both sides chasing a winner. Substitutions played a part, like West Ham bringing on Crysencio Summerville for Callum Wilson in the 63rd minute to add some spark, but neither team could find a breakthrough despite Brighton’s recent mixed form of draws and losses against Arsenal and Liverpool. In the end, it was a fair result that extends West Ham’s patchy run, including a previous 1-1 draw with Brighton, while the Seagulls will feel they could have nicked it after dominating spells.

Brighton & Hove Albion bossed possession with 61% of the ball compared to West Ham United’s 39%, showing how they controlled much of the game’s tempo, but the Hammers made the most of their chances on the counter with far more successful dribbles at 57 against Brighton’s 35, highlighting their threat in transition. Corners were even at five apiece, suggesting both sides created opportunities from set pieces, while the match got feisty with West Ham picking up three yellow cards and Brighton five, though no reds were shown to change the flow dramatically.

Penalties were a big factor too, with Brighton taking two – one scored and one missed – and West Ham converting their one, alongside just one assist recorded for the home side. Both teams used all five substitutions, like West Ham replacing Jean-Clair Todibo with Konstantinos Mavropanos in first-half stoppage time and Brighton bringing on Brajan Gruda and Kaoru Mitoma around the hour mark to try and shift momentum, but no injury-time goals came to steal the show.

The game burst into life early when Jarrod Bowen fired West Ham ahead in the 10th minute, but Brighton hit back with Danny Welbeck’s penalty in the 32nd, only for him to miss another spot-kick four minutes later after a save from Alphonse Areola. Tensions rose with yellow cards flying, including one for Jarrod Bowen soon after his goal and others for players like Mateus Fernandes and Lewis Dunk, leading to a VAR review involving Callum Wilson just before Lucas Paquetá’s crucial penalty in the 45+4th minute put West Ham back in front.

A key turning point came in the 61st minute when Joël Veltman equalised for Brighton, and substitutions like Crysencio Summerville coming on for Callum Wilson two minutes later aimed to regain control for West Ham, while Brighton’s changes such as Kaoru Mitoma replacing Maxim De Cuyper added width. Late bookings for Charalampos Kostoulas and Jan Paul van Hecke underlined the intensity, but neither side could find a winner despite the back-and-forth action.

West Ham United lined up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, with Lucas Paquetá pulling strings in midfield through his goal and assist, while Jarrod Bowen led the line effectively up front. Partnerships like Paquetá linking with Bowen stood out, and substitutions such as Konstantinos Mavropanos coming on for Jean-Clair Todibo in stoppage time bolstered the defence, with later changes like Tomáš Souček replacing Soungoutou Magassa adding midfield steel.

Brighton & Hove Albion set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, relying on Danny Welbeck’s threat upfront where he scored from the spot but missed another, with Joël Veltman chipping in from defence with his equaliser. Key roles included James Milner in midfield before Jack Hinshelwood replaced him, and substitutions like Kaoru Mitoma coming on for Maxim De Cuyper brought pace to the wings, while Georginio Rutter took over from Diego Gómez to maintain attacking options.

Lucas Paquetá was Coral’s Man of the Match for West Ham United, shining with his goal from the penalty spot and an assist for Jarrod Bowen’s opener, plus creating one big chance and two key passes that kept the Hammers ticking. His all-round display in midfield was vital in a game where West Ham had to dig deep, and even after being replaced by Mohamadou Kanté late on, his contributions stood out as the difference-maker in earning a point.

Recent Premier League matches:

• Draw: 2-2 vs Brighton & Hove Albion (H)
• Loss: 0-1 vs Fulham (H)
• Loss: 0-3 vs Manchester City (A)
• Loss: 2-3 vs Aston Villa (H)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Brighton & Hove Albion (A)

Recent Premier League matches:

• Draw: 2-2 vs West Ham United (A)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Arsenal (A)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Sunderland (H)
• Loss: 0-2 vs Liverpool (A)
• Draw: 1-1 vs West Ham United (H)

West Ham United have just drawn 2-2 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion, leaving them in 18th place on 14 points after a tough run including three recent losses and another draw against the same opponents earlier. They’ll be looking to turn things around and pull further from the relegation zone when they face Wolverhampton Wanderers away on 3 January 2026 at 15:00, with Wolves currently rock bottom in 20th on just three points, making it a crucial chance for the Hammers to grab vital points.

Brighton & Hove Albion have just come away with a 2-2 draw against West Ham United, sitting in 14th on 25 points following a mixed spell with draws like their previous 1-1 against West Ham and losses to Arsenal and Liverpool. They’ll aim to build on that resilience in their next fixture at home to Burnley on 3 January 2026 at 15:00, where the visitors are 19th on 12 points, offering a good opportunity for the Seagulls to climb the table and create some breathing room.

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