Nuno Espirito Santo has announced that Lucas Paqueta will be in the starting lineup against Brighton. The Brazilian midfielder had missed the recent 1-1 draw with Manchester United due to a suspension. He was sent off for dissent in the match against Liverpool, receiving two yellow cards in quick succession. Nuno hopes Paqueta's return will positively impact the team.
Brighton had been on a four-game unbeaten streak before their recent 4-3 loss to Aston Villa, despite initially leading 2-0. This defeat was compounded by Stefanos Tzimas suffering a knee injury, sidelining him indefinitely. However, Brighton might see the return of players like Kaoru Mitoma and Yasin Ayari, which could boost their squad.
Danny Welbeck is a player to watch for Brighton,
having scored more Premier League goals against West Ham than any other team except Everton. Meanwhile, Callum Wilson of West Ham has been involved in eight goals against Brighton, making him another key player to keep an eye on.
Brighton have historically performed well against West Ham, losing only one of their last 16 Premier League encounters with them. They have scored more goals against West Ham than any other team in the league. Despite this, West Ham have won their last three Premier League away games played on a Sunday.
Fabian Hurzeler expressed hope that Yasin Ayari might be available for Sunday's game. "I hope that Yasin is available on Sunday. We're not sure yet, but there's definitely a chance that he's available," said Hurzeler. Kaoru Mitoma is also an option if he can train without setbacks.
Georginio Rutter and Tommy Watson are expected to be options for Brighton as well. Both players have returned to non-contact training sessions and are hopeful of participating in the upcoming match.
Recent Form and Statistics
Nuno Espirito Santo has struggled against Brighton in his managerial career, winning only two out of nine Premier League matches against them. However, his most significant victory came with Nottingham Forest when they defeated Brighton 7-0.
The work rate from our midfield pic.twitter.com/tivSEIlrrN
- West Ham United (@WestHam) December 5, 2025
The Opta win probability suggests a strong chance for Brighton at 62.9%, while West Ham's chances stand at 17.4%. A draw is predicted at 19.7%. This reflects Brighton's dominance over West Ham in previous encounters.
Nuno remains optimistic about Paqueta's discipline moving forward after addressing his previous misconduct internally. "Lucas is going to play from the start [at Brighton on Sunday]," Nuno stated confidently about Paqueta's readiness and improved attitude following discussions within the team.
