Brighton have made pretty much the dream start to the 2023/24 season with a pair of 4-1 wins which have sent them to the top of the table. West Ham have every right to feel edgy about going back to the Amex, where they lost 4-0 last season.
But David Moyes has also got reasons to be cheerful after watching West Ham beat Chelsea 3-1 last Sunday, despite playing much of the second half with ten men.
Brighton vs West Ham Betting Tips
- Draw @ 15/4 with bet365
- James Ward-Prowse to be booked @ 12/5 with bet365
- Solly March Over 2.5 shots @ 6/5 with bet365
All odds are courtesy of bet365, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.
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Hammers can put nail in Brighton's perfect start
Brighton's rise to the summit of the Premier League – albeit at such an early stage of the season – has probably surprised no one after their feat in finishing sixth last season.
Roberto de Zerbi's hugely progressive outfit have once again seen key players leave the Amex but to seemingly no effect given 4-1 wins over Luton at home and Wolves away.
De Zerbi and many Albion fans will no doubt think they can make it three wins out of three given what a rough time the Hammers had in the Premier League last season, and the pressure boss David Moyes has been under in the summer with so little movement in the transfer market.
Against that backdrop, a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth and 3-1 win over Chelsea has to be seen as a positive return, especially the manner in which they soaked up everything Chelsea could throw at them and then hit back in the second half. And with ten men for a long period after Nayef Aguerd's red card.
West Ham played without the ball against Chelsea and will do the same at the Amex, and that seems to suit their style with the pace and canniness on the counter of Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma.
West Ham have not won any of their 12 Premier League showdowns with Brighton. Six of that dozen, however, have ended in draws which is the preference this time round.
Brighton vs West Ham Tip 1: Draw @ 15/4 with bet365
Assist king JWP can throw caution to the wind
James Ward-Prowse showed his creative side on debut for West Ham against Chelsea, delivering two assists in his new club's 3-1 win. That's three for the season having also supplied an assist in his farewell match for Southampton.
But there's another side to Ward-Prowse, which is an ability to pick up bookings, and he's worth backing at 12/5 to get booked at Brighton.
The England midfielder has averaged around eight yellows a season for the last five terms and has been booked against Brighton in each of the last two campaigns.
He can get frustrated and in this new era of clampdowns with bookings on the rise, a few lunges as Brighton's classy midfielders go through their repertoire may well get punished.
Brighton vs West Ham Tip 2: James Ward-Prowse to be booked @ 12/5 with bet365
Steal a march by backing Solly's shot count to soar
The shots have been raining down from all areas in Brighton's opening two matches, De Zerbi's men having 27 shots against Luton and 16 at Wolves.
No one player has fired off more than wide frontman Solly March, who totted up three efforts in the 4-1 win over the Hatters and five in the 4-1 romp at Wolves.
All De Zerbi's men have freedom to unload and no one is taking the Italian at his word more than Marchm who can fire off another three against the Hammers.
Brighton vs West Ham Tip 3: Solly March Over 2.5 shots @ 6/5 with bet365