West Ham’s captain, Jarrod Bowen, expressed disappointment after their 1-1 draw with Brighton, feeling it was akin to a defeat. Bowen scored in the 73rd minute following Callum Wilson’s assist.
However, Georginio Rutter equalised for Brighton in stoppage time. This result moved Brighton to seventh in the Premier League standings.
Brighton managed all four of their shots on target from the 89th minute onwards, including the equaliser. This was the first time since March 2022 against Tottenham that they had no shots on target until the 88th minute. Bowen shared his frustration with Sky Sports, saying, “I am gutted, it feels like loss. We did so much to get into the lead.”
West Ham’s defensive lapse in the final moments is a recurring issue. Only Newcastle United and Leeds United have conceded more goals in the 90th minute this season than West Ham’s five. Bowen noted that they sat back too much, inviting pressure from Brighton.
Despite having an expected goals (xG) total of 1.7 from 22 shots compared to West Ham’s 1.1 from 14 attempts, Brighton couldn’t secure a win. Their struggles at home against teams starting in the relegation zone continued, with their last victory against such opponents being Southampton in May 2023.
Brighton’s manager, Fabian Hurzeler, acknowledged their lacklustre first-half performance. “We definitely wanted more,” he said. “But in the end, we didn’t deserve more because we didn’t play with energy and intensity.” He emphasised the need for reflection and improvement.
Bowen highlighted that West Ham limited Brighton’s chances throughout most of the match but failed to maintain their lead due to late pressure. The Hammers nearly scored more goals but ultimately allowed Brighton to equalise.
Both teams will need to address these issues moving forward if they hope to improve their standings and performances in future matches.