Brighton pile pressure on Moyes with dominant win over West Ham

Danny Lewis

Brighton celebrate after taking a first-half lead against West HamProfimedia

Brighton & Hove Albion completely dominated West Ham United to win 4-0, comfortably maintaining the Seagulls’ unbeaten record in 12 Premier League head-to-head against the Hammers.

Jason Steele was making his second-ever league appearance, while Alphonse Areola was making his first league start since January 2022. The latter was the first to be worked, as Solly March danced through West Ham’s passive defence before unleashing a strike that was parried by the Frenchman.

There was a blow for Brighton, as Tariq Lamptey was forced off through injury inside a quarter-hour. The mood was soon lifted at the Amex Stadium, though, as Jarrod Bowen clumsily brought Kaoru Mitoma down for a penalty that Alexis Mac Allister confidently converted, scoring his first league goal since winning the World Cup.

Bowen had an opportunity to make amends when the ball fell fortuitously into his path, although he fired straight at Steele. That proved to be a rare moment of hope for the Hammers in a timid first-half display, with Brighton soon back in complete control as they moved the ball around well, entering half time having held 76% of possession, while Adam Webster and Lewis Dunk stood strong whenever called upon.

After Mac Allister was unable to convert two opportunities early in the second period, he won the flick-on for Joël Veltman to chest home as West Ham calamitously conceded from a corner for the first time in the league this season.

The Hammers’ frustrations showed around the hour mark as they picked up three bookings in four minutes, although that never translated to them troubling Brighton. Instead, they were cut open by the Seagulls as March started a move that saw Pascal Gross tee up Mitoma.

The Hammers’ humiliation was capped off when Danny Welbeck scored with an impressive finish from the edge of the box, as Brighton recovered from taking one point in their previous two league matches to boost their hopes of a maiden European campaign.

Meanwhile, West Ham will travel to AEK Larnaca having lost three of their last four matches across all competitions. This defeat also leaves the Hammers one point above the relegation zone for now.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion)