Brighton & Hove Albion 1-3 West Ham United
Premier League, American Express Community Stadium, Saturday 26 August 2023, 5.30pm BST
It was not quite Prague at 10.50pm on 7 June, but Saturday 26 August in Brighton will still be up there in West Ham United supporters’ standout moments of 2023!
The Hammers produced a counter-attacking display of devastating beauty to storm to a first-ever Premier League victory over the Seagulls at the 13th attempt with a 3-1 success, and to the top of the Premier League table.
James Ward-Prowse, Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio were the goalscoring heroes, but this was an all-round team performance to be immensely proud of, with Alphonse Areola, Kurt Zouma, full debutant Edson Álvarez and Lucas Paquetá all producing sensational performances for their side.
West Ham struggled for possession, but defended superbly, sitting in a 4-1-4-1 low block and giving their previously unbeaten hosts a thorough beating on the break. Even when the defence was breached, Areola was unbeatable behind them, while the speed at which the Londoners burst forward was thrilling and hugely effective.
After registering two assists on his debut in a home win over Chelsea, Ward-Prowse converted at the second attempt to open the scoring on 19 minutes.
The England international started and finished it. The summer signing’s lofted ball led to Michail Antonio forcing Adam Webster into a mistake. The No9 drove into the box, squared and while the goalscorer’s initial effort was blocked by Billy Gilmour, his close-range follow-up flew high into Bart Verbruggen’s net.
David Moyes’ tactics worked to perfection on 58 minutes as Antonio fed substitute Saïd Benrahma, who paused, then picked out Bowen with an inch-perfect cross. Even so, the England winger did superbly to control and finish in one movement with the outside of his left foot.
And it was 3-0 five minutes later when Antonio collected Bowen’s pass, spun away from Lewis Dunk and slammed an unstoppable shot low into the left corner.
Earlier, Lucas Paquetá had hooked Kurt Zouma’s flick-on wide within 90 seconds and Antonio fired straight at Verbruggen before Ward-Prowse’s strike, after which Brighton took control.
Billy Gilmour had already driven a low shot wide before the goal, and the Seagulls found their rhythm after going behind.
Alphonse Areola made two fine saves from Evan Ferguson, both low to his right, to hold a shot-on-the-turn before half-time and then powerfully parry a downward header to safety shortly after the break.
Kaoru Mitoma tore West Ham apart in this fixture last season and the Japan winger was lively again, but this time his two volleyed efforts both flew off-target.
The Irons had to put their bodies on the line for the cause, too, as Angelo Ogbonna, Antonio and Ward-Prowse all blocked shots, and Tomáš Souček was replaced after colliding with goalkeeper Verbruggen.
Areola then took centre-stage, making stunning stops to deny Gross – who netted Brighton’s late consolation with an angled shot from 18 yards – Dunk, substitute Joel Veltman and a rasping effort from Ferguson. There was even time for Danny Ings to head a Dunk header off the line.
At the other end, either side of the Hammers’ second-half two-goal salvo, Emerson flashed a shot against top of the crossbar, Ward-Prowse’s low cross was deflected onto his own woodwork by a Brighton defender and Bowen was denied a fourth late on by Verbruggen.
Despite having just 19 per cent possession, West Ham could have scored five or six goals on the south coast, but the three they did score were enough to take the UEFA Europa Conference League winners top of the Premier League for the first time in exactly two years!
Brighton & Hove Albion: Verbruggen, Milner (Veltman 72), Webster, Dunk ©, Estupiñán, Gross, Gilmour (Lallana 60), March (Adringa 72), Ferguson, Mitoma, Welbeck (João Pedro 60)
Subs not used: Steele (GK), Julio, Dahoud, van Hecke, Buonanotte
Goal: Groß 81
Booked: Mitoma
West Ham United: Areola, Coufal, Zouma ©, Ogbonna, Emerson, Álvarez (Fornals 84), Ward-Prowse, Souček (Benrahma 39), Bowen, Paquetá (Ings 85), Antonio (Kehrer 79)
Subs not used: Fabiański (GK), Johnson, Cresswell, Cornet, Mubama
Goals: Ward-Prowse 19, Bowen 59, Antonio 63
Booked: Ward-Prowse, Álvarez, Kehrer
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Attendance: 31,508
