Preview: West Ham United vs Brighton & Hove Albion - prediction, team news, lineups

West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion will both be desperate to end 2025 on a positive note when they meet in the at London Stadium on Tuesday night.

Neither side have managed to pick up a Premier League win in December, with the hosts stuck in the relegation zone and the Seagulls on a frustrating run of form.

Match preview

When Nuno Espirito Santo replaced Graham Potter at the end of September, West Ham fans would have been hoping for an instant impact that would spark their season into life.

However, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur boss has won just 15% of his games since arriving and the Hammers will start the New Year in the bottom three, regardless of what happens on Tuesday night.

Their last Premier League win came eight games ago, when they edged past fellow strugglers Burnley in November, and they have picked up just three points since then, leaving the Hammers 18th with 13 points from 18 matches.

A big concern for Hammers fans is the defensive issues they have faced throughout their campaign; their 36 goals conceded are the second-worst in the division, and they have shown no signs of improving on that in recent weeks.

As for Brighton & Hove Albion, they narrowly missed out on European football last season and are keen to go one step further this time around, although their inconsistent form has halted their progress.

After 18 Premier League games, Brighton have won six, drawn six and lost six and are currently on a run that has seen Fabian Hurzeler's men fail to win in their last five.

Their earlier season form is keeping them in the European picture for now and if they are to round off 2025 with a win, the Seagulls could go as high as eighth, the same position they ended last season.

Their run over the festive month has seen Brighton concede nine goals in their last five, highlighting a need to tighten their backline up sooner rather than later if they are to find some momentum in the New Year.

The pair have already met this month when they played out a 1-1 draw at the AMEX Stadium, after a Georginio Rutter goal in the 91st minute denying West Ham three points.

West Ham United Premier League form:

L D D L L L

Brighton & Hove Albion Premier League form:

W L D L D L

Team News

West Ham United appear to have come away from their last game with no further injury woes but remain without several first-team players.

Niclas Fullkrug and Lukasz Fabianski remain injured, while Africa Cup of Nations call-ups to Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Diouf mean they will also be unavailable.

In a desperate bid to change their fortunes, Espirito Santo may opt to bring Callum Wilson back into the fold, who is the club's second top scorer for this campaign.

As for the travelling side, they also came away with no further injury concerns in their latest game and have welcomed back first-team players in recent weeks.

Both Danny Welbeck and Jan Paul van Hecke returned to the matchday squad last time out, with the former looking to start for the first time since his injury and add to his seven goals.

They will, however, be without long-term absentee Adam Webster and Carlos Baleba, who is away with Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations.

West Ham United possible starting lineup:

Areola; Walker-Peters, Todibo, Kilman, Scarles; Soucek, Potts, M. Fernandes; Paqueta, Summerville; Bowen

Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:

Verbruggen; Coppola, Van Hecke, Dunk; Kadioglu, Ayari, Hinshelwood, De Cuyper; Minteh, Welbeck, Gomez

We say: West Ham United 1-1 Brighton & Hove Albion

Both sides have already met this month in what was a tight and cagey affair with the points being shared. Ahead of this one, we expect more of the same and a repeat scoreline of their previous encounter.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.