Premier League: Brighton miss chance to go 5th in standings
What's the story
Georginio Rutter's stoppage-time equalizer denied West Ham United a much-needed victory in their Premier League clash against Brighton & Hove Albion. The match, played at the Amex Stadium, ended in a 1-1 draw. The result means West Ham remain in the relegation zone, missing out on an opportunity to climb out of the bottom three. On the other hand, Brighton missed the chance to go 5th in the standings. Here's more.
Match highlights
Bowen's stunning goal puts West Ham ahead
West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen put his side in front with a superb finish in the 73rd minute. He latched onto a Callum Wilson pass and scored from an incredibly tight angle. Brighton nearly equalized immediately, but Alphonse Areola was able to push a looping cross onto the woodwork after it deflected off Max Kilman.
Last-minute drama
Brighton's late equalizer denies West Ham victory
Brighton kept pushing for an equalizer and finally got their reward in stoppage time. Rutter scored from close range, canceling out Bowen's earlier strike. Konstantinos Mavropanos came close to snatching a late winner for West Ham but could only head wide from a corner with the last action of the game.
Team analysis
West Ham's performance and future prospects
Despite the draw, West Ham's performance was commendable as they restricted one of the league's better attacking sides to almost nothing in front of goal. They attacked with imagination and conviction with Bowen proving to be key. Notably, West Ham also showed character in their 1-1 draw against Manchester United a couple of days ago. If they can maintain this level, they have a good chance of avoiding relegation from the Premier League.
Table
Brighton could have gone level with Chelsea and surpassed Everton
Brighton are one of the four Premier League teams with 23 points this season. On Saturday, Sunderland lost against Manchester City to remain on 23 points. Meanwhile, Liverpool were held 3-3 by Leeds United as the Reds gained one point to get to 23. Crystal Palace also own 23 points but have a game in hand. A win would have taken Brighton on level with Chelsea and above Everton. However, they are 7th with their goal difference being +4.
Information
West Ham are placed 18th
With successive 1-1 draws, West Ham are 18th. They own 13 points from 15 matches. This was their 4th draw of the season (W3 L8). They are two points behind Nottingham Forest and Leeds United.
Match stats
A look at the match stats
Brighton had 67.7% ball possession and an xG of 1.7. The Hammers' xG was 1.14. From 22 attempts, the Seagulls had 4 shots on target. West Ham 5 shots on target from 14 attempts. Brighton earned 10 corners compared to West Ham's 6. The hosts created three big chances compared to West Ham's 2. Brighton had 43 touches in the opposition box with West Ham's being 22.
Information
Bowen races to 60 Premier League goals
Making his 215th Premier League appearances, Bowen has raced to 60 goals. He also owns 39 assists. He is one shy of 100 goal involvements. In the 2025-26 season, the Englishman has 4 goals and an assist from 15 matches.