West Ham were left heartbroken at the Amex Stadium as Brighton snatched a stoppage-time equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw, denying Nuno Espírito Santo his first clean sheet in charge. The Hammers’ frustrating record against the Seagulls continues, with just one win in 17 Premier League meetings between the sides.

A relentless downpour set the tone for a scrappy first half. West Ham opted for a compact, counter-attacking approach and almost struck early when Crysencio Summerville burst clear, only to be halted by Bart Verbruggen’s sharp save with his outstretched leg.

As conditions worsened, so did the quality of play. Both teams struggled to build momentum, with the final thirds largely untouched for long spells. A goalless first half was a rarity for Brighton — just the second time in 14 league fixtures that the Seagulls had failed to score before the interval.

With Brighton boasting a league-leading tally of second-half goals heading into this round, and West Ham conceding on average twice per game, it felt inevitable that the breakthrough would come after the restart. It was the visitors who threatened first: Verbruggen reacted superbly to deny Jarrod Bowen and then sprang up to block Summerville’s follow-up from point-blank range.

By the hour, Brighton boss Fabian Hürzeler would have been concerned — Alphonse Areola had yet to be tested in the West Ham goal. The pressure from the visitors finally told in the 73rd minute. Substitute Callum Wilson led a swift break and played in Bowen, who squeezed a low finish inside the far post from a tight angle to give West Ham the lead.

Brighton finally sparked into life as they chased a reply. Areola was called into action when a deflection off Max Kilman forced him to tip the ball against the post, igniting a late surge. Their persistence was rewarded deep into stoppage time, as Georginio Rutter pounced amid a crowded box to hammer home an equaliser and spark relief around the stadium.

The late blow keeps West Ham rooted in the relegation zone when a victory would have lifted them out of danger. Brighton, meanwhile, climb to seventh place — only two points adrift of the Champions League positions after securing yet another decisive second-half contribution.