Righto, John Brewin’s match report is here:

Which means that’s it from me for now. Thanks for your company and comments – peace out.

Join Rob Smyth for Fulham v Crystal Palace…

In the SPL, Hearts lead 1-0 at Parkhead; if they can see this out – and it’s only half-time – their lead at the top will be six points. What a statement it’d be, but perhaps Wilfried Nancy has something in his back pocket to inspire his new team.

So, as per the below, Brighton move up from 10th to seventh, while West Ham remain in the bottom three but are just two points behind Forest and Leeds now.

Looking at the equaliser again, just before the handball, Kostoulas tries an overhead kick and his boot isn’t far from Mavrapnos’ head. If the defender intimates he’s been hit, the ref probably stops it, but letting it go looked and still looks the right call to me.

And here’s what happened in the WSL:

But league leaders Chelsea trail 1-0 at home to Everton with 16 minutes to go.

While we’ve been at this, Lando Norris won the driver championship for 2025:

“Once again I’m baffled by a handball call, says Alexander Lewis. “If Areola hadn’t pulled off a wonder save, the goal would have been disallowed. But because he saved it and they scored the rebound, it counts. Penalised for making a great save!”

I didn’t look like a handball to me. Had it hit the hand direct, fair enough, but it bounces into the hand off the thigh; I thought the ref and Var got the call correct.

90+8 min The corner picks out Mavrapanos, at the back post and this is a chance to win it! He’s up, heads down … and the ball bounces just wide! I’m not sure he could’ve done more because there were men blocking his angles, but he’ll feel he should’ve found a way.

90+7 min Yet again but for the first time in a while, West Ham counter, Wan-Bissaka stroking a first-time pass in behind; his low shot os blocked behind, and this corner might be the final play of the match…

90+6 min Again, Brighton pour forward, Gruda crossing low and Rutter turning on to it, shooting first time in one movement, but again, Mavrapanos, who’s been excellent, blocks. That was goalbound.

90+3 min We will, by the way, have six additional minutes – or were meant to. It’ll be more than that now, and Brighton fancy a winner, forcing another corner. It goes to Kostoulas on the edge and time stands still, then abruptly starts again when he leathers miles over the top.

90+2 min West Ham appeal for a handball and we see the ball hit Rutter’s thigh following an overhead kick earlier in the move, clipping his hand thereafter; that’s not getting overturned because it wasn’t a direct handball.

89 min The corner goes to the back post Boscagli head back across, Welbeck diving to head … and the ball is blocked, then he loses out in a challenge as the ball runs out of the box; he wants a penalty but none is forthcoming.

89 min Dunk crosses towards Welbeck and Dunk heads away, then behind when the ball comes back; corner to Brighton.

87 min This has been an almost-perfect away performance from West Ham so far. They’ve restricted one of the league’s better attacking sides to almost nothing in front of goal, and attacked with imagination and conviction. If they hang on, they’ll have fully merited the victory.

85 min Where does Bowen sit in the West Ham pantheon? Surely he’s now ensconced as a club great, up there and probably ahead of your Di Canios and your McAvennies of this world.

84 min Still no shot on target for Brighton.

83 min Brighton bring on Boscagli for Kadioglu.

82 min A triple change for West Ham, Soucek, Magassa and Mayers – making his senior debut – replacing Paqueta, Rodriguez and Diouf.

82 min Kadioglu curls to the back post and Dunk’s up, but his header is wide and by a way.

79 min So far this season, only Liverpool have scored more goals in the last 10 minutes of games than Brighton, but West Ham are defending well; as I type, Wan-Bissaka heads clear, the ball is helped on to Wilson, and he holds up, Bowen inside him and Paqueta nashing on his outside. He opts to shoot, slapping just wide of the near post, and what a difference he’s made; Nuno has deployed his subs really well today, but West Ham now have a corner to defend…

78 min Kadioglu finds Rutter down the left, he cuts square, and Kostoulas is there … but he swings ball into standing leg and it flies wide.

77 min That Van Basten goal.

75 min Immediately, Brighton seek an equaliser, the ball bouncing about in the West Ham box before Areola tips a header from someone, I’m not sure who, on to the bar; the rebound is smuggled clear.

72 min Brighton withdraw De Cuyper and Minteh, introducing Gruda and Kostoulas, while West Ham take off Summerville, who’s been a threat, for Wilson, which gives them a box presence and out-ball.

71 min Wieffer out to Minteh, who cuts inside and leathers what’s meant to be a curler that flies way wide of the far post.

70 min Kadioglu crosses and West Ham clear, the ball comes back from the right and they do likewise; De Cuyper crosses, there’s too much on it, and Minteh’s retrieval is no use to anyone. I said earlier this wouldn’t finish goalless, now I’m not so sure.

69 min West Ham win a free-kick on halfway, look to pump it into the box, and instead it goes behind.

69 min Fulham v Palace is live – join Rob Smyth for that one.

67 min Wieffer and Minter link down the right, but Todibo comes across and has studs introduced to metatarsus. I think he’ll be fine, but it’s sore, so there’s a brief interlude; he’s played well today.

65 min Brighton have had 70% this half, but they’re yet to register a shot on target.

65 min Van Hecke into Rutterr out to De Cuyper, whose first-time cross is delicious, but Welbeck can’t get on the end of it and no one else is even trying.

63 min Change for West Ham, Potts replacing Rodriguez.

63 min Miserable weather, goalless and few chances, but this isn’t actually a terrible game, and both sides are working hard trying to win it.

61 min Change for Brighton, Hinshelwood replacing the subbed-yet-again Baleba.

60 min Rodriguez fouls Rutter and is booked.

59 min And Bowen really fancies it, taking the ball from Paqueta at inside-right before weaving by and bumdling through three challenges, his low shot flicking off a defender and inciting Verbruggen to dive full length, flicking out a hand to make a fine save. But the ball rears up and Summerville retreats, making rook for a scissors-kick … that Verbruggen also saves! Great work from the keeper and ensuing corner, though it causes minor mayham, comes to nowt.

57 min West Ham clear and counter, Summerville zooming through midfield and finding Bowen, whose cross for Paqueta goes through Dunk’s legs before someone, Wieffer I think, knocks behind. The corner comes to nowt, but the visitors are starting to fancy this.

56 min Now Brighton attack down the left and Rutter crosses, Mavrapanos flicking a header behind for a corner.

55 min West Ham win a free-kick, but Mavrapnos can’t do anything with it at the back post.

54 min Summerville swipes a pass in behind for Paqueta, who lays back a return, and there’s a nice one-two between the former and Bowen, who can’t quite find a lane to shoot.

53 min Wiffer helps the ball down the right, but Minteh can’t turn it into anything and it goes behind for a goalkick.

52 min The free-kick seeks Mavrapanos at the back post, but there’s way too much on it.

51 min Dunk and Wieffer both catch Summerville; the ref cautions the former.

51 min Here’s that Hughes finish…

47 min West Ham feed Wan-Bissaka down the right and his cross is a goodun – do not adjust your screens, that is not a misprint – but Diouf, with time to take it down and have a chat, instead decides he’s Mark Hughest at Spurs in 1988, and it turns out he isn’t, his scissor-kick flying miles away from anywhere.

47 min “If I was a kid offered the choice between playing EA Sports FC 25 or watching West Ham, who average just one goal every home game,” says Rick Harris, “then I think I would choose virtual excitement over reality dross.”

This hasn’t been a terrible game, I don’t think, but yup, we need to get ill with it to make them endure the worst aspects.

46 min We go again…

Back come our teams…

Half-time entertainment:

45+1 min We’ll have one additional minute, almost played.

45+1 min And the corner causes trouble, bouncing about in the box before going behind for a goalkick.

45 min Now West Ham get Bowen on the ball, facing goal, and he drags is wide of Dunk, firing a shot that’s deflected just wide thanks to the defender’s desperate lunge.

44 min West Ham get the corner away and will be pretty satisfied with their afternoon’s work – so far.

43 min Basck come Brighton, De Cuyper crossing from the left and Welbeck leaving it for Rutter, who catches his volley nicely … but Todibo, who’s playing well – now and over the last bit – blocks behind for a corner. Diouf celebrates, because he knows that without his mate’s intervention, that was 1-0.

41 min Mistake from Van Hecke, who eads into Dunk, allowing Paqueta to nick away, sending Summerville through down the left side of the box. He’s got a man in the middle and a lovely touch with the outside his right foot opens angle and far post for the Henry finish … but he doesn’t get the draw, passing a finish wide.

39 min Lovely feet from Paqueta on the right, and he’s chasing about following the ball now, trying to get as many touches as possible. Nothing comes of this opportunity, but he’s looking like a player desperate to affect the outcome of this game. Meantime, Wieffer’s cross is cleared to Gomez, who shanks high and wide.

37 min Wan-Bisska chases down Kadioglu then shoves him the back, exactly what te wanted. I can’t think of many defenders I’ve seen with less game-intelligence than the West Ham man.

35 min Again, though, Brughton keep West Ham boxed, winning another corner, which goes beyond the back post where Gomez, unmarked, nods down and behind.

33 min Minteh goes down the right but again sticks too much on his cross; this time, Brighton recover the ball and sustain the attack, then De Cuyper, under little pressure as Wan-Bissaka is too slow to get out to him, steps inside, curls a beauty of a cross into the corridor, and Wieffer is there to prod, bundle or tap home … but he ends up putting away fresh air, his timing off and the ball passing by him. That’s the best and only chance of the match.

32 min Diouf is starting to involve himself, his cross deflected behind for a corner; Dunk heads it clear and the ref awards Brighton a free-kick anyway.

30 min We learn that when Bowen burrowed forward a few minutes ago, released by Paqueta, the touch he took was West Ham’s first in the Brighton box.

29 min Fernandes beats De Cuyper and sprays out to Diouf, whose low cross, probably mis-hit, almost catches out Verbruggen at the near post, ruffling the side-netting.

28 min Better from Brighton, Balebe moving forward before spreading for Minteh, who teases an inswinging cross towards the far post that’s got just too much on it. The home side are, though, improving.

27 min Pre-match, we talked about potential olimpicos, and De Cuyper does go for goal from the corner, but the ball drifts just over the bar.

26 min Rutter skins Todibo, Diouf going to ground and allowing himself to be skipped over. Minteh takes over, but Todibo gets back well to block his cross at cost of a corner.

24 min Minteh gives it away to Summerville, who immediately transfers inside to Paquueta, who flicks immediately to Bowen, at inside-right. He’s blocked off by Rutter at cost of a corner – which comes to nowt – but that is precisely the kind of move West Ham are set up to execute.

22 min West Ham are letting Brighton have the ball until the cross halfway, and it’s notable that Paqueta isn’t being asked to chase back. Once he’s pressed from the front, he’s loitering upfield hoping for a cahnter.

21 min Gomez is late on Fernandes and just about escapes a booking; he’s actually a card away from a ban, so just as well for him and Brighton.

20 min Baleba gives Gomez quick ball and it’s moved on to Wieffer, who thunders a shot into the nearest defender. We’ve not had a chance yet, but I don’t think this match is going to end goalless.

19 min In Abu Dhabi, Lando Nozza is very close to winning the 2025 driver championship.

17 min We thought Paqueta might have fun roaming free and tossing grenades, and he’s starting to, just overhitting a through-ball seeking Summerville.

16 min Sky have just apologised for some naughty words audible from the away end. Do they know their proprietor is Rupert Murdoch?

15 min A ball in behind for Summerville, who looks offside, and once Verbruggen has saved a poor one-on-one finish, the flag goes up. It is, as ever, odd the officials and laws made the keeper do that for no reason, but West Ham are starting to threaten.

14 min Delicious control from Paqueta, taking a pass from Areola and knocking off the Diouf, whose ball in behind seeking Summerville is quick and well directed. But Verbruggen is out quickly enough to clear.

12 min Welbeck has appeared into the game, looking to hold up and initiate close combinations. He’s got a lovely touch and imagination, so if Brighton can get men close to him and give him the ball on the ground, back to goal, there’s joy to be had attacking the space in behind.

11 min First flash of West Ham, Summerville flicking on for Bowen and dashing in behind anticipating the return … which doesn’t quite reach him.

10 min Gomez is just a little late on a pass looking to stick De Cuyper in behind, then Wan-Bissaka counters and Kadioglu knocks him over; he’s booked.

9 min We’ve seen nothing of West Ham as an attacking force so far, but Nuno won’t mind that – that’s what he does. At Wolves, it often felt counter-productive because it didn’t suit the players he had, but it was perfect for his squad at Forest and might work well with the players he has now.

7 min Yankuba Minteh, incidentally, is up there with Godsway Donyoh and Trevoh Chalobah as one of the great non-Manc Manc names.

6 min Nice from Rutter, who holds up, turns, and sets Minteh away at inside-right, but his cross is thunked well beyond the back post.

5 min “Fair question re West Ham’s relegation chances,” returns Eric Peterson. “I’ve been a Nuno fan since his days hauling Wolves into Europe, and I think what he accomplished at Forest was spectacular. With 24 games left at his disposal, I can easily see him putting the puzzle pieces together for survival (the cupboard’s much less bare than at Burnley and Wolves, that’s for sure). But then I go into zero-sum mode and look for a team above them prone to replacing them in the bottom three, and I struggle. But we’ll see. It’s December. If West Ham get their act together, relegation will be someone else’s worry, not theirs.”

I think West Ham are likelier to stay up than Leeds, but Daniel Farke might just’ve switched to 3-5-2 in the nick of time. With two big men up front, they’re suddenly a much tougher proposition to face.

4 min Nrighton build and West Ham let them, sitting off, then Kadioglu comes inside on to his right foot and tries a cross seeking Welbeck, but Todibo hacks clear.

3 min We can see a lot of lower-tier empty seats. I’d fine clubs for that – they should be going around local schools with spares on Fridays, and doing pay-on-the-day for kids.

2 min I’d not fancy being keeper, ever, obviously, but especially not on this round, today. I’d be sticking crosses under the bar if I could, and I’d be tempted to go for goal from corners, because the wind is nasty.

1 min Immediately, a pass into touch, so West Ham hump it downfield, playing for territory.

1 min Off we go!

Lunchtime, but it looks like it’s dusk; it’s grim down south.

Here come our teams…

We’re getting towards full-time in our early WSL matches…

It’s an absolutely filthy day on the south coast or, in other words, we can enjoy some proper football weather.

He also played pretty well in midweek – admittedly, I was watching about 17 others at the same time, so I don’t know how reliable that impression is – but I’m hoping he’s over the hump.

Baleba, who we mentioned earlier, won this game at the death last season.

In Cremona, Jamie Vardy’s Cremonese have beaten Lecce 2-0. No goals for the cosmopolitan hit-man, but his team are up to ninth in Serie A.

I’m really excited to see what Nuno does with El-Hadji Malick Diouf, whose raw materials are spectacular. He needs more defensive discipline and patience, by physically, he’s off the charts, and his crossing is superb. At Everton, he pretty much turned the game by himself, and if Wieffer goes forward supporting Minteh, expect him to attack the space in behind.

“Celebrating the resurgence of West Ham is a bit premature, chides Eric Peterson. “They’re on a three-game winless streak, with those games against: a sinking Bournemouth, a floundering Manchester United, and an imploding Liverpool. Facing Brighton, which hadn’t lost since October before running into an irresistible Aston Villa, will provide a sterner, and truer, test.”

They’re much better than they were; United battered Brighton; and Villa were not irresistible in midweek. I don’t think West Ham will go down, do you?

I’m looking forward to seeing how Carlos Baleba does today. I’m in no position to speculate as what’s triggered his drop in form, but it’s a fact: no player in the league has been subbed as early as often.

Of course, he’s still a terrific talent, strong, fast, excellent in the tackle and sharp with his ball-carrying. But he does need to improve and begin affecting games again – which’ll be harder in the absence of his regular partner, Yasin Ayari.

Also going on:

So, where is the game? West Ham will look to defend deep and in numbers, and bringing in Summerville for Wilson suggests they’ll be hoping to counter swiftly. I also think that, with Rodriguez and Fernandes in midfield, Paqueta will have scope to romp about dropping grenades with Bowen darting about in between and in behind the centre-backs and full-bakcs.

Brighton, meanwhile, will look to keep the ball and draw West Ham out of position, playing off Welbeck with the full-backs and wingers looking to overload the wing-backs.

Hurzeler makes two changes to the team that lost midweek, Welbeck and Rutter replacing Tzimas and Gruda Nuno introduces Paqueta, back from suspension, along with Rodriguez, Summerville and Kilman, with Potts, Soucek, Wilson and Magassa dropping out.

Fabian Hurzeler says his team played well in losing a 2-0 lead at home to Villa in midweek. They need to keep working on their clean sheets and doing the basics.

With Welbeck back in from the start, he says it’s important to have a strong spine and cites his centre-forward as a leader to whom the young players look up, saying he leads the defending from the front.

He wants his team to be patient and is sure his team has the skills to get it done today.

Before we look at the teams in detail, Nuno talks abut making changes following “an intense game” on Thursday night. It’s difficult trying to compete while building new processes and ideas, but his team did a lot of good things last time out and they are confident and positive.

Finally, he discusses how talented Lucas Paqueta is, saying he’s ready to play, and Brighton are an attacking team, so they need to attack also.