Brighton stun West Ham with 3-0 away victory

Brighton and Hove Albion won a top flight away match for the first time in 34 years when they stunned West Ham United 3-0 at the London Stadium in the Premier league on Friday. Striker Glenn Murray scored a brace and Jose Izquierdo curled in a shot from outside the box to lift promoted Brighton to 10th in the standings, leaving West Ham in 17th just above the relegation zone. It was also a first top flight win in four years for their manager Chris Hughton, who had last presided over a Premier League away win in charge of Norwich City.

Brighton & Hove Albion have won away in the top flight for the first time since 1983.

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"It’s a bad performance from us,” said West Ham manager Slaven Bilic, whose position is under increasing scrutiny after five defeats and two wins in his team's nine league matches. "We tried to come back, but it’s very difficult for me to say anything clever now. All I can say is that it was very disappointing and frustrating and as manager I take full responsibility for that," he told the club's website (www.whufc.com). Brighton made a bright start and deservedly went in front after 10 minutes when Murray headed a free kick by Pascal Gross into Joe Hart’s net.

SCOUT: Brighton keep a clean sheet. Only 6,912 bought a member of their back 5 for GW9. Some 80,264 bought into West Ham’s ? #FPL #WHUBHA pic.twitter.com/EZoSfKuFcp

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Izquierdo increased their lead in first half added time with a curling shot from outside the box that beat Hart’s dive, a hammer blow to the visitors who had improved and looked more likely to equalise. Murray completed the rout with a penalty in the 75th minute after he was brought down by Pablo Zabaleta. Brighton defended resolutely during West Ham’s best spell in the latter stages of the first half but the home side lacked a cutting edge in the box with suspended striker Andy Carroll watching from the stands. Manuel Lanzini come closest for the Hammers with a free kick in the 65th minute but the team’s poor showing overall had fans filing out of the ground long before the final whistle.