Published on 03.01.2024
Brighton managed to secure their first clean sheet in the Premier League since May with a goalless draw against West Ham.
However, despite their defensive success, they should have come away with more from the match due to their wasteful attacking display.
One of Brighton’s best opportunities came when Pascal Gross had a free header but failed to convert it, sending the ball straight at Alphonse Areola just before half-time. Jack Hinshelwood also came close to scoring his second goal in as many games, but his shot was denied by an impressive reflex save.
"We've shown in past games we're strong at the back"
— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 2, 2024
Areola on our fourth consecutive @PremierLeague clean sheet 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/A6IwCLwuu0
Joao Pedro further contributed to Brighton’s frustration by producing a poor finish after an excellent solo run, making life easy for the West Ham goalkeeper once again. Jakub Moder added to Brighton’s missed chances by firing over the bar when faced with an open goal five minutes before full-time.
While West Ham had some bright moments and created opportunities of their own, including Tomas Soucek’s glaring miss and Jason Steele denying James Ward-Prowse, it was Brighton who seemed happier with the result as they started 2024 with a point that kept them three points ahead of West Ham in the league table.
