Areola denies Brighton as weary duo run short of inspiration

This was a game that made it hard not to wonder if there is such a thing as too much football. West Ham and Brighton were two tired, injury-hit teams trying their best and giving their all without ever really suggesting they had the wit or energy to give a sleepy crowd a goal.

- Jacob Steinberg

At the end the biggest takeaway was it will be tough for both to remain above richer rivals as the season wears on. While West Ham ended 2023 with fine wins over Arsenal and Manchester United, the limitations of their squad were exposed by the absence of Lucas Paquetá and Mohammed Kudus. They remain sixth, three points above Brighton after a dogged defensive display, but David Moyes may reflect that he needs reinforcements this month.

Brighton dealt better with their injuries and created the better chances on a night when Roberto De Zerbi's forwards were thwarted by several fine saves from Alphonse Areola.

The question both of these clubs have to answer is whether they have enough depth to sustain their challenges for European football. Both are in the Europa League and weariness is an issue. Whereas bigger clubs are more accustomed to handling the load and tend to have more room for manoeuvre when they rotate, there inevitably comes a point when teams of the size of West Ham and Brighton find it harder to defy English football's financial reality.