West Ham United v Brighton & Hove Albion
Premier League, London Stadium, Tuesday 2 January 2024, 7.30pm GMT
West Ham United start 2024 with a home test against Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Seagulls make the trip to London Stadium on Tuesday 2 January 2024, with kick-off set for 7.30pm.
The Irons are in good form heading into the new year, with three consecutive Premier League wins, putting David Moyes’ side up to sixth in the division on 33 points.
Tickets…
Tickets for this sold out game are still available on the Ticket Exchange, with Season Ticket Holders who cannot attend this fixture relisting their seats for other supporters to buy. Click here to check availability or relist.
Travel…
There are no planned disruptions across TfL and a good service can be anticipated across the Central, Jubilee and Elizabeth lines, as well as the Docklands Light Railway.
London Overground will have a partial closure between Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction after 9pm on Tuesday evening. Replacement bus services will be available for supporters utilising this section of the service.
On the C2C line, there are planned engineering works between Fenchurch Street and Barking and Upminster from 11.30pm onwards. Supporters utilising this service when travelling home from Tuesday's match should note that passengers with a valid ticket can use District line services between Tower Hill and Upminster and Jubilee line services between West Ham and Stratford.
The Greater Anglia Railway is expected to run with its usual service, while there are various engineering works taking place on the Southeastern Railway overnight on Tuesday 4 January, shutting some services. Supporters who use this line are highly recommended to check their journey before travelling.
How To Follow…
West Ham United’s home Premier League match with Brighton & Hove Albion has been selected for broadcast in the United Kingdom by Sky Sports.
You can follow the action via our live blog on whufc.com and our app and across our social media channels. We will also have highlights and exclusive reaction for you after the final whistle on our website and social media.
Live audio commentary will be available in the UK on TalkSPORT and worldwide on our official website and app.
Official Programme…
The 116-page publication is the largest in the Premier League and, at just £4 per issue, represents superb value for money for supporters wanting exclusive interviews, attention-grabbing opinions and eye-catching photographs, plus the regular news, columns and statistics and insightful content from across all areas of the Club.
The Official Programme is the definitive Claret and Blue publication for West Ham fans and the latest issue can be ordered here.
Team News…
Manager David Moyes offered an update on Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd and Lucas Paquetá in his press conference on Friday, revealing French centre-back Zouma ‘rocked his knee a little bit’ prior to Thursday’s match at Arsenal.
Aguerd also missed the game due to illness, while Paquetá was an enforced first-half substitution. The team is awaiting the results of a scan for the Brazilian.
Brighton, meanwhile, are definitely without loanee Ansu Fati, who had a thigh injury, as well as Solomon March (knee), Tariq Lamptey (thigh), Pervis Estupinan and Joel Veltman.
Julio Enciso is nearing a return to fitness, while Kaoru Mitoma has also been absent with a foot injury, and Roberto De Zerbi will be hoping the duo can recover in time for the trip to London Stadium.
Opposition…
It has been a very exciting time to be a Brighton & Hove Albion fan.
Like the Claret and Blue Army, Seagulls supporters waited with bated breath to find out just who their side would face in the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League group stages; their first-ever involvement in European competition.
And, like West Ham, Brighton's place in the last 16 is assured, having seen off French giants Marseille, Eredivisie titans Ajax and AEK Athens to top Group B.
Involvement on the European stage is fully deserved for a Brighton team that finished sixth in the Premier League last season, their highest-ever place in the English top flight. And, while many teams struggle to balance a European schedule with the rigorous demands of the Premier League, Brighton seem to have managed just fine so far.
Many pundits did not predict such success after Graham Potter departed to Chelsea just a few weeks into the 2022/23 season. But Brighton swiftly replaced the outgoing manager with former Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk boss Roberto De Zerbi, and the Italian not only maintained the high standards, but he also surpassed them.
Brighton’s eye-catching, exhilarating football has led to De Zerbi reportedly being coveted by some of Europe’s leading times. For now though, the 44-year-old is settled at the Amex Stadium. When the day comes that he does depart, one would not be surprised to see Brighton continue their high trajectory.
Even after a summer that saw Moises Caicedo depart, again for Chelsea, for a reported English transfer record fee, and Alexis Mac Allister move to Liverpool, the Seagulls have not panicked and maintain the philosophy that led to such high praise.
Additions like João Pedro are already looking like smart signings, while moves for free agents James Milner and Mo Dahoud have been shrewd acquisitions. With exciting youngsters like Evan Ferguson and Julio Enciso only getting better, and Kaoru Mitoma firing on all cylinders, the future looks bright for Brighton.
Previous Meetings…
Facing Brighton in the Premier League has been a difficult task for the Hammers so far.
It was only last time out, back in August at the American Express Stadium, that West Ham picked up a first Premier League win over the Seagulls. Goals from James Ward-Prowse, Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio earned the Irons a 3-1 win and temporarily put the Hammers top of the Premier League table!
Prior to that though, the Hammers were without a win in 12 matches against Brighton in the Premier League – a run consisting of six draws and six defeats.
West Ham’s last home win against Brighton was in April 2012, and it was a good one too. Three goals in the opening eleven minutes, including two from Ricardo Vaz Te and a finish from captain Kevin Nolan, put the Irons on course for an excellent 6-0 victory, with Vaz Te completing his hat-trick too.
Match Officials…
Referee: Sam Barrott
Assistant Referees: Marc Perry and Nick Hopton
Fourth Official: John Brooks
VAR: Rob Jones
Assistant VAR: Tim Wood
Sam Barrott will take charge of his second West Ham United Premier League match of the campaign when the Irons welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to London Stadium.
Barrott has been selected as the man in the middle for the Hammers’ first match of 2024, having refereed the Irons’ 2-1 win away at Burnley at the end of November.
The 30-year-old also previously worked as the fourth official for West Ham’s 3-1 win over Arsenal in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
Barrott took charge of his first Premier League match back in October, officiating the draw between Fulham and Sheffield United at Craven Cottage, and has refereed eight top flight games so far this season.
The official also has a major final under his belt, refereeing the 2022 FA Vase Final between Littlehampton Town and Newport Pagnell Town.
Click through here for more information on Tuesday’s match officials.
