West Ham United midfielder Mohammed Kudus headed home in the second half to salvage a point in a lacklustre 1-1 Premier League draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
The result leaves the Hammers 14th with 20 points after 17 games, while Brighton are ninth on 25.
It was a fitting outcome for two lacklustre teams with Brighton winless in their last five league games and West Ham with one victory from five.
It's consecutive Premier League draws for West Ham Utd 👇#SSPL | #WHUBHA pic.twitter.com/2o0DqSXaOm
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) December 21, 2024
Mats Wieffer put Brighton ahead in the 51st minute with his first Premier League goal when goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski fell under the challenge of Lewis Dunk whose header fell for the Dutch midfielder to fire home with his first touch.
There was a lengthy VAR check for offside and a foul before Brighton could really celebrate at the London Stadium.
West Ham, whose manager Julen Lopetegui has been under pressure, have now conceded their most top flight goals in a single calendar year, with 74, since 1967 (85).
Brighton's lead lasted just seven minutes, though, as their keeper Bart Verbruggen did well to bat away Jarrod Bowen's shot before a sprinting Kudus arrived just in time to head home.
Mohammed Kudus levels for West Ham, and celebrates by pulling out his own seat to sit on! 🪑
— Premier League (@premierleague) December 21, 2024
It's now West Ham 1-1 Brighton...#WHUBHA pic.twitter.com/T3DgMYOIDC
What was a largely dull game ended with fireworks as both teamssquandered terrific chances.
A brave piece of defending saw West Ham full back Aaron Wan-Bissaka dive to head away what looked like a certain goal for Tariq Lamptey at the death.
The two collided in mid-air with Wan-Bissaka down holding his shoulder for several minutes.
Fabianski also made a couple of late saves to deny Brighton substitutes Yasin Ayari and Julio Enciso, while Kaoru Mitoma inexplicably missed what should have been an easy tap-in for the visitors that instead rang off the post.