Brighton has had difficulty getting shots on target, with this being the second time this season they failed to have a shot on target in the first hour of a Premier League match. In their previous instance, they scored in the 77th minute to win 3-1 against Chelsea.

The match at the Amex Stadium was marked by poor weather conditions, which led to a slow start by both teams. West Ham's strategy of sitting back and counter-attacking almost paid off when Cryencio Summerville had a chance to score, but was denied by a smart save from Bart Verbruggen.

The game became a stop-start affair due to the poor conditions, with little action in the final third. At halftime, the score remained goalless, which was only the second time in 14 league games that Brighton had a scoreless first half.