Brighton vs West Ham

On Saturday afternoon, Brighton & Hove Albion will host West Ham United at the Amex Stadium in a Premier League clash where both teams aim to recover from recent setbacks. In their previous encounter in December at the London Stadium, the match ended in a 1-1 draw, with Mohammed Kudus equalizing after Mats Wieffer had given Brighton the lead. 

Brighton, under the guidance of head coach Fabian Hürzeler, are experiencing a challenging period. The team has not secured a win in their last five Premier League matches, accumulating only one point from a possible twelve. Their latest outing resulted in a 4-2 defeat against Brentford, where despite Danny Welbeck's goal before halftime, the Seagulls conceded three goals in the second half. The situation was exacerbated by Joao Pedro's dismissal, marking Brighton's ninth league loss of the season.

Hürzeler has faced increasing scrutiny from supporters, with chants of "You don't know what you're doing" directed at him during the Brentford match. He acknowledged the team's resilience after going a man down but admitted to "too many easy mistakes" leading to their defeat.

Currently positioned 10th in the league table, Brighton still harbors hopes of a top-eight finish, which could secure them a spot in next season's Conference League. They trail eighth-placed Bournemouth by just one point, with five games remaining. However, a nine-point gap separates them from seventh-placed Aston Villa, making Europa League qualification a distant prospect.

Defensive vulnerabilities have plagued Brighton, as they've conceded two or more goals in each of their last five Premier League games—their longest such run since March 2022. Nonetheless, their historical record against West Ham offers some encouragement; Brighton has lost only one of their 15 top-flight meetings with the Hammers, securing six wins and eight draws.

West Ham United, managed by Graham Potter, find themselves in a precarious position. The team has alternated between defeats and draws in their last six matches, most recently settling for a 1-1 draw against already-relegated Southampton. Lesley Ugochukwu's 93rd-minute equalizer nullified Jarrod Bowen's opener, leading to public frustration from Niclas Fullkrug towards his teammates. Potter conceded that the team's performance "wasn't good enough."

Occupying the 17th spot in the Premier League, West Ham is on the cusp of securing their top-flight status. A point from Saturday's match or a failure by 18th-placed Ipswich Town to beat Newcastle United would confirm their safety.

Historically, West Ham has struggled against Brighton, with only one win in their last 15 Premier League encounters. However, they did achieve a 3-1 victory at the Amex Stadium last season. This season, the Hammers have won four Premier League away games, keeping clean sheets in each. Conversely, they have failed to win any of their last 15 away matches when conceding at least once, recording five draws and ten losses.

As both teams prepare for this crucial fixture, Brighton aims to halt their winless streak and revive their European ambitions, while West Ham seeks to ensure their Premier League survival and end their season on a positive note.