Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi speaking to Sky Sports: "We have a very tough situation [with injuries] but at the beginning of the game we only think of the result on the pitch, the performance and the quality of the play.

"I think we have the players and the numbers and the quality enough to fight, to play, to make the conditions to win the game.

"West Ham have a different style of play than us but every style is good when you get results. Our DNA is to keep the ball but to keep it to win the game, to find the chance to score, not just because we want to keep the ball.

"I think it is better to keep the ball because you find more solutions to score, better solutions, but in the end you have to get the result.

On Lews Dunk's absence and losing his leadership: "He is unique to us, but we have other players that bring leadership, Pascal Gross, James Milner... Today Adam Webster plays, Jan Paul van Hecke is another important player. Danny Welbeck is a great leader inside the dressing room and on the pitch.

"Anyway, we have to try and lead on the ball, and to show desire to reach sixth place in the table, which is where we get if we win today."

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton chairman Tony Bloom was appointed an MBE in the New Year Honours list a few days ago.

Bloom, who began the role in 2009, was honoured for services to football and the local community.

Under the watchful eyes of Bloom, Brighton finished sixth in the Premier League last season, qualifying for European football for the first time in the club's history.

West Ham United

West Ham boss David Moyes speaking to Sky Sports on changes to the starting XI: "We've got some injuries, we've got a bit of illness. Maybe if we had played last night, we would have had some of the African players available but because we play tonight, we don't. That probably sums it up."

On Brighton: "Brighton are an excellent side and can cause every team problems and they will do for us tonight. Hopefully we are ready, we've been in a good run of form ourselves, so we go into the game in a positive mood.

"Players who have been here are now getting their opportunity to show what they can do. I'm looking forward to seeing how that goes.

"We would like to control the ball but if we can't do that, I hope we can defend as well as we have been doing and as we did at Arsenal."

On missing Lucas Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus: "They have made a huge impact on the team. It's very difficult to replace them.

"We have done well over the last few seasons so hopefully we can do so again [even without them]."

Image source, Getty Images

James Milner is set to make his 632nd Premier League appearance, putting him joint-second alongside Ryan Giggs in the all-time list and only behind Gareth Barry's mark of 653.

Milner will also equal Giggs' record of making a Premier League appearance in 23 different years when he comes on in 2024.

Image source, Getty Images

Tomas Soucek wants to "achieve even more" with West Ham after signing a new contract until June 2027.

He has played 182 times and scored 30 goals since joining the Hammers, initially on loan, in January 2020.

"It has been four years since I joined West Ham and I have enjoyed every moment," said Soucek.

"Coming to England was a new experience for me and we have been successful in the time that I have been here.

"We have won a trophy, had good results in the Premier League, and I am happy with myself, that I have played nearly every minute.

"I feel that the fans appreciate me here. This was a big part of the reason that I wanted to extend my contract with West Ham.

"I feel that this is my home now, and I want to achieve even more in the future with this great club."

Image source, BBC Sport

Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi said he was "surprised" by injured winger Kaoru Mitoma's call-up by Japan for the Asian Cup.

Mitoma suffered an ankle injury during Brighton's 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on 21 December.

De Zerbi confirmed that Mitoma was expected to be out for up to six weeks but he was included in Japan's final squad on Monday.

"I'm really surprised because my medical staff told me Mitoma needs four, six weeks for his injury," said De Zerbi.

"For me, it's difficult to think he can play in the Asian Cup.

"But I am a fan of Mitoma, of all my players, so if they can play for their national team I am very happy and very proud."

Image source, Getty Images

David Moyes is yet to agree a new contract with the club, with his deal set to expire at the end of the season.

The 60-year-old said he is "comfortable" with the situation but admitted uncertainty surrounding his future could affect West Ham's ability to sign players in January.

"Yes, of course, but I also hope players will also talk about a guy who has managed over 1,000 games, and I'm comfortable with it," he said.

"I can go and discuss it tomorrow because I've got a great relationship with the board so I can do it at the right time, and there seems to be more talk from other people whereas we're quite cool about it."

What do you think 2024 has in store for your club? Do you think it will be a successful year?

Get in touch using #bbcfootball, or via WhatsApp on 03301231826, or by texting 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply).

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Image source, Getty Images

Brighton's fortunes have not been as strong this season and they can't stop conceding goals.

They are on a club record run of 23 successive league games without keeping a clean sheet.

No side currently sat in the Premier League's top 10 have conceded more goals than Brighton.

They haven't won back-to-back league games since a run of three victories in September.

That means they will be very keen to build on their triumph over Tottenham which ended their 2023 events.

Squad depth has been important for them. Twelve of their 38 Premier League goals this season have been scored by substitutes.

Can they get the job done from the start tonight?

Image source, Getty Images

West Ham are in great form at the moment and hope to start off 2024 how they ended 2023.

They have won six of their last eight Premier League matches and need one more to equal last season's final tally of 11 victories.

They are aiming to register four consecutive Premier League wins for the first time since November 2021.

A fourth Premier League clean sheet in a row would also equal the club record, set a decade ago.

To sum it up, West Ham's tally of 33 points is their highest after 19 games of a top-flight campaign since 1985-86, when they had 38.

David Moyes makes three changes to the West Ham side which won at Arsenal in their final match of 2023.

Mohammed Kudus has gone to the Africa Cup of Nations with Ghana, Lucas Paqueta has a knee injury and Vladimir Coufal is reportedly considering a move this month due to unhappiness over his contract situation.

Ben Johnson, Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals come into the starting XI.

West Ham XI: Areola; Johnson, Mavropanos, Ogbonna, Emerson; Alvarez, Soucek; Benrahma, Ward-Prowse, Fornals; Bowen.

Subs: Fabianski, Cresswell, Cornet, Ings, Coventry, Casey, Mubama, Laing, Orford.

Image source, Opta

There are two changes in defence for Brighton, following their 4-2 victory over Tottenham last month.

Captain Lewis Dunk is absent due to suspension, after picking up his fifth league booking of the season against Spurs. That means Adam Webster starts in central defence.

Pervis Estupinan, who scored a stunning goal after coming on as a substitute in that match, replaces Igor at left back.

Brighton XI: Steele; Hinshelwood, van Hecke, Webster, Estupinan; Gross, Gilmour, Milner; Joao Pedro, Buonanotte, Welbeck.

Subs: Verbruggen, Dahoud, Lallana, Moder, Baleba, Ferguson, Samuels, Baker-Boaitey, Kavanagh.

Image source, Opta

Image source, BBC Sport

West Ham will need to manage the next few weeks without in-form Mohammed Kudus, who has gone to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Kudus and Jarrod Bowen are among the top five overperformers in terms of expected goals across the Premier League this season.

Kudus' six goals from 1.9 XG and Bowen's 11 goals from an XG of 7.4 rank them in second and fourth respectively in the five-man list.

Since a 5-0 loss to London rivals Fulham in early December, West Ham have gone on a run of three straight league wins. For the seven goals the side scored during that run, Kudus and Bowen had a hand in six of them.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, BBC Sport

BBC football expert Chris Sutton takes on Shed Seven singer and song-writer Rick Witter, for his turn of the year Premier League predictions.

West Ham sucker-punched Arsenal on Thursday, as they so often do against teams who really come on to them - they did it against Tottenham at the start of December, and it was the same story when they beat Brighton at the beginning of the season.

The Seagulls will fancy themselves to put that right on the back of their win over Spurs, but you just know that the Hammers will be happy to sit in and frustrate them.

Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen are so important to West Ham and the way they hit teams on the break, and I can see them playing a key role here too.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

I am going for Brighton to win this for no other reason than it looked good when I wrote it down on my piece of paper.

Rick's prediction: 1-2

Image source, BBC Sport

Here's how things stand going into tonight's game.

West Ham, currently in sixth place, could move within four points of the top four with victory today.

Brighton, who are in eighth, are currently 10 points off the top four but could go above West Ham if they win tonight.

Image source, Getty Images

Hello!

We have just one Premier League match tonight but it could be a good one between two sides only three points apart.

West Ham host Brighton at the London Stadium looking to carry on where they left off at the end of 2023.

We'll have updates from all the action here.