Danny Welbeck misses a Panenka penalty, which leads to a scuffle; and Nuno wants better explanations from referees.
It came as West Ham and Brighton played out a 2-2 draw, the hosts twice throwing away a lead with three penalties awarded in first half for the second time in Premier League history. Welbeck and Veltman cancelled out goals Bowen and Paqueta.
It means the Hammers have now failed to win for an eighth Premier League match in a row, and sees them sitting 18th in the Premier League table, with 14 points from 19 games played, 4 points from safety. Brighton are 14th with 25 points from the same amount of games played.
“WHAT A MESS” š¤Æ
Danny Welbeck tries a panenka and it’s off the bar! pic.twitter.com/yqSonbeeX4
ā Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 30, 2025
WELBECK AFTER THE PANENKA pic.twitter.com/qgdXFlK9wE
ā KinG Ā£ (@xKGx__) December 30, 2025
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler to BBC Match of the Day:Ā “A good performance, but in the end not a result we can be happy with. In some moments we missed some quality, in some moments we had a lack of luck. That’s why it was 2-2.”
On Danny Welbeck’s penalty miss:Ā “I don’t need to speak to him. He makes the decisions and we support him. If he scores, everyone says ‘what a great penalty’. As a striker you always have to make decisions and he did so many good decisions. Therefore we keep pushing.
“We have proved we are capable. We have the belief in our quality and ourself. Small margins are missing but we keep pushing and I’m sure we’ll be back to getting on the winning track.”
Brighton midfielder James Milner to Sky Sports:Ā “Ultimately we’re disappointed. We came here to win. The goal set us back but we opportunities, the penalty as well. There’s a lot to take from the game.
“The boys worked really hard, unfortunately we’re just in a period of the season where things don’t stick for us.”
On West Ham’s penalty for a handball on Lewis Dunk:Ā “I felt it was maybe slightly harsh. I thought it hit his chest first. Maybe the freeze frame was after it had moved onto his arm. That’s football and VAR really.”
On Danny Welbeck’s penalty miss:Ā “He’s obviously full of confidence. The second one was the right decision as well, it was just a tiny bit high. The amount of goals he’s scored for us already, he’s been incredible for us, the amount of times he’s dug us out this year.”
West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo to Sky Sports:Ā “The fight was there from both teams, very intense game with a lot of things happening. The players of both teams were really committed and fighting.
“In terms of performance the first half was better, we had momentum and created problems. Second half we started well but after we condeded the final moments of the game were tough for us.
“When Brighton put Mitoma on the left he caused problems, Rutter too. It was about hanging in, trying to kill them on the counter-attack. Overall it was a tough games for both teams.
“In the situation we are in it requires calmness in certain moments which is difficult to achieve, but the players managed well.”
On the penalty conceded by Lucas Paqueta:Ā “We have to look at what happened in our box, I was talking to the referee because there are a lot of circumstances happening this season that many times they don’t judge or whistle, so it’s get confusing for the players. How excessive the contact can be or not.
“So many things happen in the box for referees to judge which is difficult. We arrive at a situation that it’s difficult for players to judge how far they can go. I am disappointed to concede from a set piece because in that moment of the game we had it.
“The referees must be clear, we had a meeting with PGMOL at the start of the season. Now at half way they should do it again to speak with the players.”
Nuno to Sky Sports on home fans booing when striker Callum Wilson was replaced by winger Crysencio Summerville…
“Our fans know very well the team, that’s why they have opinions and rightly so.
“I wish I could play with strikers 90 minutes, all of my career I have tried. Let’s see if we can bring [a new striker in] because it’s really necessary for us to have more options in the striker position. We need more.
“I don’t want questions, I want action, and the club is working for that I hope. We need it, everybody is aware of our situation, we need to re-balance our squad so we can be stronger and compete better.”
Nuno to BBC Match of the Day: “A lot of things happening in the game, the first half was confusing for the players and everyone in the stadium.
“First half was better, we contained, dominated, created a lot of chances. Second half we started well, controlling well with good combinations, but after conceding we went through some troubles, especially when Brighton brought on Mitoma and Rutter, fresh players with such quality.
“After that we were trying to hold on with the young boys. I’m really pleased with what they gave to the team and squad, but we didn’t have many situations from which we could counter-attack from. Overall it was an intense game, both teams went to their limits.
“The referees must speak with the players, explain to them what is contact, which is excessive, which is foul, because we se so many things in the box now it can be confusing. Sometimes they whistle, sometimes they ignore it.
On the performance of Ollie Scarles after his mistake against Fulham on Saturday:Ā “It’s fantastic to bounce back really well, he knows he has our support and confidence. I’m delighted the fans appreciated it because mistakes are part of the game.”
Nuno Espirito Santo says referees need to explain their “confusing” decisions more š£ļø
West Ham had two penalties awarded against them as they faced Brighton. pic.twitter.com/EICUCmHJlI
ā Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) December 30, 2025
Here’s how fans reacted after Welbeck misses Panenka penalty, which leads to a scuffle; while Nuno wants better explanations from referees…
@bhafc2002: This is Pantomime Brighton, couldnāt make it up. Fucking wankers. Welbeck playing crossbar challenge, twat. Bring on Mitoma and Babis ffs
@tinscognito__: Why are the West Ham defenders furious lol, is he not allowed to do that? Ridiculous
@LifeofJames4: What the actual fuck are we doing they’re shite
@dinesy1985: Talk about making things hard for ourselves; shocking 2nd pen which Welbeck should know better, with our current form we canāt be messing about with pens like that. Now we are behind & gonna be chasing the gameā¦..hoping for a better 2nd half #bhafc
@MikeKing14_: Danny Welbeck has taken 3 of the worst penalties Iāve ever seen in his Albion career, two of which have been in this season. Heās not reliable enough to be the penalty taker. #BHAFC
@SmithMustScore_: Experience hasn’t worked. Against a poor side in awful form we’ve managed to look worse than them. So bad defensively it’s almost embarrassing. I hate being critical but that was abysmal. Good news? We can make changes. We can improve. ā½ļøšµāŖļø #BHAFC
@justin_finch: Lucky to draw. Our bench is shockingly bad. Itās been a shambolic year. Please resign Karen Brady and Sullivan sell the club. You might have money but you donāt know how to run a football club. The end. #whufc
@Itsame72484627: Would have taken that before the game. Wilson is old and doesn’t have the legs, Nuno has no other choice. Scarles great redemption game there, my man of the match āļø
@cockneyboywhu: Mehā¦ probably wouldāve grabbed 3 points if we kept Wilson on.
@brad_hass4: 6th time we have taken the lead since our last win and haven’t won.
@baracca47: In any normal season, thatās not a bad point. However, we urgently need wins. Gifted them 2 penalties and a goal from a corner. Scarles played well as did Bowen. Kilman is not good enough. Hope Todibo and Paqueta are ok. Onto Wolves š«£āļø #COYI
@domscottoncandy: Shocking, substitutions were terrible, shouldāve taken kilman off, put magassa into CB and have summerville, Bowen and Wilson up front, some defenders have been excellent today, scarles and walker-peters for example but still shouldāve done more, we needed to show we deserve +3
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