West Ham vs Brighton prediction 30.12.2025 | Premier League

West Ham’s recent form has been troubling. They have endured a seven-match winless run in all competitions heading into this game and most recently lost 1-0 at home to Fulham, extending their struggles near the bottom of the table. This sequence includes heavy defeats such as a 3-0 loss at Manchester City and narrow home losses against top half sides - symptomatic of defensive lapses and a lack of cutting edge in attack (failed to score in back-to-back Premier League fixtures).

Injuries and squad issues compound West Ham’s woes. Key forward Niclas Fullkrug has departed on loan, leaving Callum Wilson as arguably the only established senior striker option, although it was team captain Jarrod Bowen who started up front for the Hammers against Fulham a few days ago.  Additional absentees due to fitness issues - including midfield and defensive uncertainties after recent games - limit manager Nuno Espírito Santo’s available options as his side battles to retain Premier League status.

Brighton’s form has also been mixed but slightly stronger. Recent results include the 1-1 draw with West Ham and defeats against top sides like Liverpool and Arsenal, the latter resulting in a narrow 2-1 loss away from home. Despite these setbacks, they remain comfortably placed outside the relegation battle and have shown they can score consistently with multiple goals in several fixtures - for instance, they scored three in the 4-3 defeat to Aston Villa and also netted twice in wins against Brentford and Nottingham Forest.

Injury reports suggest Brighton may have had few players doubtful or out, including attackers or midfielders like Kaoru Mitoma and Yasin Ayari earlier in December, though the squad depth has allowed rotation. Brighton’s defensive organisation has also generally been more robust than West Ham’s, conceding fewer goals across the season (average 1.4 goals conceded per game vs. West Ham’s 2.0).