Brighton 4-1 Palace wins WAB Memorable Moment of the Season 2023-24
There are many reasons why Brighton 4-1 Crystal Palace was such a convincing winner of WAB Memorable Moment of the 2023-24 season.
The Albion sticking four goals past their fierce rivals for the first time since 1957. The result coming just four days after Brighton themselves had been thrashed 4-0 away at Luton Town.
Palace supporters pouring out of the Amex before half time, shattering their self-proclaimed title as best football fans in the world.
Or the fact it brought about the demise of yet another Eagles manager. Patrick Vieira was sacked after losing 1-0 at the Amex in March the previous year.
Roy Hodgson was unable to survive the humiliation of such a heavy defeat this time around. Although you could argue that was a bad thing, given it led to the appointment of Oliver Glasner.
Palace enjoyed top four form under their new head coach in the final few months of the 2023-24 season, even ending the campaign above Brighton in the table – something you would have got very long odds on after the Albion thrashed the Eagles 4-1.
There could have been no more apt scorer of the opening goal than Lewis Dunk. Eagles supporters have spent years hating on the Brighton captain, seemingly unable to distinguish the difference between a guilty and not guilty verdict in a court of law.
The away end was silenced by Dunk after only three minutes. Pascal Gross swung over a corner, Dunk rose highest and powered a header home. It provided the perfect start to the perfect day.
Palace lost their own captain and England international defender Mark Guehi to injury midway through the first half. In a telling sign of just how dominant Brighton were, not one pundit nor Eagles fans reached for it as an excuse for their hammering.
Two goals in 90 glorious seconds ensured the Albion victory before the 35 minute mark. Tariq Lamptey crossed from the left and Jack Hinshelwood headed home to double the lead.
Is there a more glorious sight in football than a homegrown, boyhood fan scoring for his club against their rivals? The best moment from a Hinshelwood wearing a Brighton shirt since Adam scored a 30-yard own goal against Colchester United on Boxing Day 2008.
Palace restarted the game, managing to keep the ball for all of 10 seconds. The tenacious pressing of Gross won back possession, a quick exchange of passes with Joao Pedro later and Gross was teeing up Facundo Buonanotte to make it 3-0.
The Amex exploded, the noise a mixture of euphoria and disbelief. Palace fans headed for the exits. By leaving before 3.45pm, they could get back to Croydon in time for The Masked Singer starting at 6.20pm. A dancing cabbage singing B*Witched represented a better option than supporting their hapless team.
Hodgson introduced the half-fit Michael Olise at the break in a desperate attempt to rescue something from the game. Olise lasted a grand total of 11 minutes before signalling to the bench he could not play on, having snapped his enthusiasm.
Brighton fans revelled in this. They also took delight in taunting Hodgson. “Roy Hodgson, we want you to stay,” sang the North Stand.
Palace momentarily gave those few travelling supporters who had stayed something to politely clap when Jean-Philippe Mateta pulled one back 20 minutes from time.
The respite was short-lived, however. An outrageous flick from substitute Danny Welbeck put Pedro in one-on-one. The Brazilian forward duly produced an outside of the boot finish to make it Brighton 4-1 Palace.
He then celebrated in front of the North Stand, counting one…two…three…four… on his fingers before making a cutthroat gesture. Palace had been killed.
That was not the end of their miserable afternoon, either. Whilst Brighton fans danced and sung to a post-game light show, Palace fans argued with their own players after the full time whistle. A glorious sight to end a glorious game of football.
4-1 loss away at their rivals…
The Palace fans were FURIOUS after the game despite players apologising 🤬
The Brighton fans bouncing around in the background though… 😬😅#CPFC #BHAFC
— FanHub (@FanHub) February 3, 2024
Second place in WAB Memorable Moment of the Season after Brighton beating Palace 4-1 went to the send off afforded Roberto De Zerbi after his final game in charge.
The Albion announced the day before Manchester United visited the Amex that De Zerbi would be leaving the club come the end of the campaign.
What followed during the lap of appreciation was telling as to the popularity De Zerbi will always command. The Italian was given a standing ovation, the North Stand unfurled a “Grazie Mister” banner and a chorus of “Roberto De Zerbi, we want you to stay” interrupted his farewell speech.
It was a fitting goodbye to a manager forever guaranteed a place in the history books as the first to take Brighton into Europe via the club’s highest ever finish playing football which, at its peak, was amongst the most entertaining on the planet.
Another home game in which the Albion scored four times was voted into third place. Brighton looked in big trouble before the December visit of Spurs with all four of De Zerbi’s wingers unavailable to him.
De Zerbi though formulated a new way for the Albion to play and coached it into his players in less than a week. Brighton packed out the middle of the park and played two up front.
Tottenham were caught completely by surprise. Pedro and Welbeck ran riot, taking advantage of a suicidal high line from Spurs as the Albion sauntered into a 4-0 lead against opponents who had been top of the Premier League table two months earlier.
Spurs scored twice in the final 10 minutes to ensure it finished 4-2. The game though was nowhere near that close as Brighton delivered arguably their finest performance of the season, given the circumstances.
WeAreBrighton.com Memorable Moment of the Season 2022-23 – The Results
- Brighton 4-1 Crystal Palace – 56.04%
- Goodbye Mister De Zerbi – 15.38%
- Brighton 4-1 Spurs – 11.9%
- Manchester United 1-3 Brighton – 8.24%
- Beating Nottingham Forest with 10 men – 4.76%
- Top of Premier League for seven days – 3.66%
Previous Winners: Chelsea home (2003), Manchester United home (2022), Manchester City home (2021), Arsenal home (2020), Doing the double over Palace (2019), Manchester United home (2018), Wigan Athletic home (2017) Sheffield Wednesday home playoffs (2016) Fulham away (2015), Forest away (2014), Palace home (2013), Doncaster home (2012), Charlton away (2011), Southampton away (2010).
