FanSided World Football
·25 avril 2025
Brighton vs West Ham preview: Prediction, team news and lineups

FanSided World Football
·25 avril 2025
West Ham have won only one of their last 15 meetings with Brighton, but that was a smash-and-grab 3-1 victory when they most recently visited the Amex, thereby seeking successive victories in Sussex for the very first time.
Can Brighton & Hove Albion push themselves back into the European hunt? Last weekend, the Seagulls were beaten 4-2 by Brentford, seeing João Pedro sent off in West London, meaning Danny Welbeck and Kaoru Mitoma's goals were ultimately in vain. So, after winning four successive matches, Fabian Hürzeler's team have now failed to win any of their last five, yielding just two points.
As a result, the Albion have sunk down to tenth, albeit just one point below Bournemouth, the current tenants of the final potential European position. Nevertheless, with games against Newcastle, Wolves, Liverpool and then Spurs to come to conclude the campaign, Brighton supporters may feel this fixture is must win.
West Ham United also had European aspirations before this season began, but kick off seven places and 12 points worse off than their hosts from the South Coast. Last weekend, despite taking the lead through Jarrod Bowen, the Hammers could not even beat rock-bottom Southampton, conceding a stoppage-time equaliser at the London Stadium.
Thus, since taking over in January, Graham Potter has won only three of 13 Premier League outings, with the Irons currently winless in six and languishing in 17th. Of course, Potter was Brighton manager for over three years, taking charge of 135 matches before ditching them for Chelsea, thereby unlikely to receive an especially warm welcome back to the Amex.
Fabian Hürzeler remains without Igor, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Adam Webster, Tariq Lamptey, James Milner and Georginio Rutter due to injury, while João Pedro will commence his three-match ban.
Meantime, defender Jan Paul van Hecke was taken to hospital after suffering a serious head knock at Brentford, before being discharged soon after, but is unlikely to be available for this one. Thus, Carlos Baleba will fill-in at the back, with Yasin Ayari and Kaoru Mitoma coming into the lineup.
Brighton & Hove Albion predicted lineup vs West Ham United: (4-4-1-1): Verbruggen; Hinshelwood, Dunk, Baleba, Estupiñán; Wieffer, Ayari, Minteh, Mitoma; O'Riley, Welbeck.
Danny Welbeck scored his tenth of the season last weekend, so can he now add to his seven career goals against West Ham, on target against the Irons more frequently?
Graham Potter switched to a back four against Southampton, but is likely to revert back to a five here. This will see Konstantinos Mavropanos and, potentially, Oliver Scarles return, the latter getting the nod over Emerson at left-wing-back; Aaron Wan-Bissaka could also be back, after sitting out last Saturday's clash due to a toe issue.
In attack, Niclas Füllkrug will continue to lead the line, with Evan Ferguson ineligible to take on his parent club, not that he's made much impression at West Ham; Crysencio Summerville and Michail Antonio remain sidelined long-term.
West Ham United predicted lineup vs Brighton & Hove Albion: (5-2-3): Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Kilman, Todibo, Mavropanos, Scarles; Ward-Prowse, Paquetá; Kudus, Bowen, Füllkrug
Jarrod Bowen took his tally to ten for the season against Southampton, so can he net at the Amex, just as he did during West Ham's only ever Premier League win over Brighton in August 2023?
Given that neither team are in particularly good form, this clash is tough to call, so we're sitting on the fence and forecasting a low-scoring stalemate: Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 West Ham United.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs West Ham United takes place on Saturday 26 April 2025, with kick off at 15:00 (BST), 10:00 (EDT) & 7:00 (PDT).
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