On paper, this was a perfectly winnable game for West Ham. They were at home against a newly promoted side in Brighton, who had not won away in four attempts this season, and hadn’t won away in the top flight since 1983. The Seagulls had also scored just once in four league games on the road going into this clash, and the scorer of that goal, Solly March, was benched by Brighton manager Chris Hughton in favour of club record signing Jose Izquierdo. Brighton’s last visit to West Ham, a good five years ago, saw the visitors on the receiving end of a 6-0 scoreline.

West Ham had also never lost a Premier League game at home on a Friday, having beaten Coventry and Spurs in their two previous Friday clashes.

However by the end of the evening, that record had been broken, and Brighton had taken their away goals tally from 1 to 4, courtesy of a brace from veteran striker Glenn Murray, whose last visit to West Ham, then in Crystal Palace colours, also saw him score twice. [Read more…]