West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion on December 21, 2024, presents an intriguing contest in the Premier League. Both teams have faced significant challenges due to injuries to key players. Notably, West Ham's Carlos Soler is suspended while Michail Antonio is out for the season. Brighton also grapples with injuries, including Danny Welbeck's absence but may benefit from the return of Adam Webster and Matt O'Riley . The absence of these influential players will likely impact each team's performance and strategy.
Bournemouth in Monday night’s 1-1 draw.
Manager Julen Lopetegui then returned to Spain to attend the funeral of his father but is expected to be in the dugout on Saturday.
West Ham sit 14th in the Premier League table after a frustrating season thus far but host a Seagulls side who have hit something of a sticky patch of late.
While one of the surprise packages of the season, they are without a win in four games and last weekend lost 3-1 to rivals Crystal Palace.
West Ham vs Brighton live  
Michail Antonio is set to be sidelined for the foreseeable future after undergoing surgery following a road traffic accident. Carlos Soler will sit this one out after collecting five yellow cards, while Jean-Clair Todibo remains an injury doubt. 
Adam Webster is ruled out for Brighton here, but as many as seven players will be assessed, and could return to action for Fabian Hurzeler's side. 
West Ham United possible starting lineup: Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson; Alvarez, Soucek; Bowen, Paqueta, Kudus; Fullkrug
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup: Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Estupinan; Baleba, O'Riley; Adingra, Rutter, Mitoma; Pedro
Bart Verbruggen will be the automatic pick between the sticks, with Brighton & Hove Albion lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs West Ham United on Saturday. The backline should feature Joel Veltman, Jan Paul van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, and Pervis Estupinan.
As for the midfield unit, Carlos Baleba and Matt O’Riley should pair up in the double pivot, while Georginio Rutter will likely reprise the no. 10 role. Finally, Joao Pedro will spearhead the Brighton attack against West Ham, with Simon Adingra and Kaoru Mitoma being the two wide attackers.
Predictions for this match suggest a closely contested affair, with many analysts forecasting a 1-1 draw. This prediction stems from both teams' recent form; West Ham has managed only one win in their last four matches while Brighton is currently on a four-game winless streak . Historically, encounters between these two clubs have been tightly matched; West Ham has struggled against Brighton in their previous meetings within the Premier League.
In terms of lineups, West Ham may adopt a 4-2-3-1 formation featuring notable players such as Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paquetá . Meanwhile, Brighton’s inconsistent performance adds an element of unpredictability to their lineup choices. Given the stakes involved and the current form of both teams, fans can expect an engaging match that reflects their competitive rivalry.
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