West Ham United 0-0 Brighton & Hove Albion (2 Jan, 2024) Game Analysis،
West Ham United missed out on a fourth successive Premier League victory as the festive fixtures ended in a 0-0 draw at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday.
Brighton would have overtaken West Ham into sixth place with a win, but chances were few and far between at the London Stadium with a point apiece a fair result.
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Pascal Gross should have given Brighton the lead shortly before half-time, but his header was saved by Alphonse Areola while Adam Lallana went close with a late winner.
Pablo Fornals should have done better for the hosts after the break and Tomas Soucek also pushed a shot wide.
In the end, West Ham seemed content to win the draw, which kept them in sixth place with 34 points from 20 games, while Brighton's first clean sheet of the season in the Championship took them to the -above Manchester United in seventh place with a goal difference of 31 points.
Although the match will not be remembered for long, both teams can approach the new year with optimism, with European honors still possible and a challenge for a top-six finish in the Premier League.
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“It was disappointing from our point of view because I think we controlled the game and created enough chances,” Brighton midfielder James Milner, 37, told Sky Sports.
“But it was a solid performance, especially with the return of some boys who haven’t played much football.”
The ever-present Milner made his 632nd Premier League appearance to tie Ryan Giggs and only Gareth Barry (653) has made more appearances in the competition.
West Ham won the reverse fixture earlier in the season, ending a 13-game winless streak against Brighton.
But they failed to secure a first top-flight victory at home against the south coast club since 1983.
“We had a few chances. Tomas Soucek had a great chance,” West Ham boss David Moyes said. “We took advantage of our luck a bit. It was a very good Christmas period, three wins and a draw. Nothing to complain about.”
