Match Preview: Just the small matter of Crystal Palace v Brighton

It’s the big one – although it doesn’t really feel like it. Normally when we write a match preview for Crystal Palace v Brighton & Hove Albion, it’s done with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

The excitement comes from this being a fixture like no other for the Albion. Winning it can make or a break season. Brighton finished bottom of the Championship in 2005-06, winning just seven matches. Yet a 1-0 victory at Selhurst means that it is a campaign which isn’t looked back as one big shambles, which in reality it was.

Two seasons ago and the Albion won two games out of 18 in the second half of the season. We avoided relegation purely because Huddersfield Town, Fulham and Cardiff were somehow worse. Irony of ironies that it was a Palace win over Cardiff that kept us up. And yet that campaign too is remembered fondly as Brighton did a league double over Palace.

The apprehension comes from what it means to lose. When Brighton find themselves defeated by Palace, it is a disaster. We are still reeling from the 1-0 defeat at the Amex back in February, a result that had many Albion fans fearing relegation as a very real possibility. Thank God that lockdown arrived two weeks later to save the season.

Those feelings are lacking this time around though for multiple reasons. The fact the game is being played behind closed doors certainly seems to have taken the edge off things.

With no prospect of being locked in Selhurst Park for an hour afterwards, nor needing to have sought out medical jabs to protect against disease from the squalid old stadium, this is a match that doesn’t have the normal air of Palace versus Brighton about it.

And then there is the disconnection between fans and football. It has been a rough two weeks, firstly with the debacle of PPV football causing a rift across the Premier League. Then Liverpool and Manchester United tried to buy control of the sport for the big six in exchange for cash for the EFL.

Two incidents which highlighted the greed and gluttony of football in 2020 and left many fans disillusioned. Some are close to giving up on top flight football completely.

Nothing will alter those feelings quite like beating Palace. Over to you, Brighton.

Crystal Palace this season
There was a fair bit of hoo-ha towards the end of last season about whether Palace needed to move on from Roy Hodgson. The Eagles had enjoyed a standard season for them of being too good to go down but not good enough to challenge for the top 10, something that their fans find frustrating as eight years into their current spell as a Premier League club, they do not actually seem to have progressed very far.

They have a board though who got burnt last time they attempted a change of manager to yield improved football and better results. Frank De Boer replaced Big Sam Allardyce in the summer of 2017, lasting only seven games and seven defeats before he was fired with relegation seeming a certainty.

All the while Hodgson is able to keep Palace in lower mid table, he seems likely to hold onto his job – even whilst Palace fans bemoan the style of football and the age of the team, which has the oldest average in the Premier League.

There have been signs this summer that Hodgson maybe trying to adapt to those demands. Eberechi Eze was an impressive capture for £19.5 million from Queens Park Rangers and Michy Batshuayi will get the goals that Palace lacked last season based on his previous loan spell at Selhurst Park.

The Eagles have begun the campaign with some decent results too – as you will be unfortunately be reminded in the next part of our Crystal Palace v Brighton match preview. Perhaps this will be the season they finally step up a level? Let’s hope not.

Recent form
Whilst Brighton talk about their performances against Chelsea and Manchester United having been good enough to earn something from those respective games, Palace have actually put points on the board against the big six when they won 3-1 at Old Trafford in the second game of the season.

That is the Eagles’ standout result so far. They also went close against Everton, only being denied a share of the spoils thanks to some wonderful VAR and referee nonsense. For context, the same Toffees side blew the Albion away at Goodison Park a week later.

Palace’s overall record reads played four, won two, lost two. This will not be an easy afternoon for Brighton at Selhurst Park – especially with our much -cherished unbeaten away run now gone.

Crystal Palace v Brighton Head-to-Head
There have been 143 previous meetings between Palace and Brighton with the Eagles leading the head-to-head. Palace have won 60 times, Brighton 50 with 33 draws.

The Albion sit on 199 goals in the fixture. Should they net at Selhurst, whoever gets the first will therefore write their name into the history book as the scorer of the 200th Brighton goal against Palace.

Brighton & Hove Albion’s Head-to-Head record with Crystal Palace

Last six meetings
• Brighton 0-1 Crystal Palace (Premier League, 29/02/20)
• Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton (Premier League, 16/12/19)
• Crystal Palace 1-2 Brighton (Premier League, 09/03/19)
• Brighton 3-1 Crystal Palace (Premier League, 04/12/18)
• Crystal Palace 3-2 Brighton (Premier League, 14/04/18
• Brighton 2-1 Crystal Palace (FA Cup Third Round, 08/01/18)

Unfortunately, this is the point in the match preview where we have to remind you that Crystal Palace took bragging rights last season with four points out of six against Brighton.

The Albion were superb in December’s 1-1 draw at Selhurst, being totally dominant for 68 minutes but only having a Neal Maupay goal to show for it. Palace punished that lack of clinicalness in front of goal by registering 11 shots on target in the final 22 minutes with Wilfried Zaha netting an all too predictable equaliser.

The return game at the Amex was a ghastly experience as the Albion were beaten by a Palace side who simply wanted it more. That’s unforgiveable in a game this important – and something that Graham Potter and his players need to put right on this occasion.

Team news
Brighton’s failure to sign a senior striker in the summer transfer window is already causing something of a headache for Potter.

Although a £30 million marquee signing would have been nice, most Albion fans simply wanted another body, believing that going through the next three months with only Maupay and Aaron Connolly was a big risk should injuries or suspensions bite.

Lo and behold, it has happened already. Connolly picked up a whack on international duty with the Republic of Ireland and Alireza Jahanbakhsh is also injured having seemed to play himself into contention as third choice striker with a string of fine performances in the Carabao Cup.

Potter said in his pre-game press conference that Andi Zeqiri would not be rushed into first team action and quite right too. You cannot throw a 21-year-old from the Swiss second division into the deep end of the Premier League and expect him to be an instant hit. Zeqiri needs time to adapt.

We will therefore have to cross everything that Maupay doesn’t get injured at Selhurst as there are no other options to lead the line. It would be typical Brighton for him to limp off after five minutes, leaving Potter and Paul Barber looking very silly for spending the last few weeks telling fans to stop obsessing over needing a new centre forward.

Aside from the striker issue, Tariq Lamptey is an injury doubt which would represent a serious blow. Should the young right back not make it, Potter may find himself tempted to break away from 3-4-3 as there isn’t really anyone else in the squad who brings to the party what Lamptey does at wing back.

Crystal Palace’s danger men
Zaha is the obvious man to highlight. He loves playing for Crystal Palace against Brighton and has been a thorn in our side on too many occasions to list in this match preview.

Him versus Lamptey down our right hand side would be the battle that decides the game should Lamptey be fit. Two quick, talented and exciting players going head-to-head to try and find a way to combat each other. It will make for compelling viewing, providing Lamptey is fit enough to start.

The betting value for Crystal Palace v Brighton
We do not know whether you have noticed, but Brighton cannot defend set pieces. Have a look at who is starting at centre back for Palace and back them to score anytime as if the Albion give away a corner or a free kick in a dangerous position, then we will probably be in big trouble.

An interesting subplot
This is the first Palace versus Brighton game to be played behind closed doors. Watching without crowd noise, it will be fascinating to see just how much the rivalry permeates to the players and their subsequent interactions with each other.

If the Sky microphones don’t pick up Lewis Dunk calling Zaha “a crying diving ****” at some point for example, I for one will be very disappointed.

A good WeAreBrighton.com memory of Crystal Palace away
We have seen the Albion win twice at Palace in our lifetime. So the question here is which was better – Paul McShane in the 79th minute in 2005 or the game won by Anthony Knockaert’s screamer two seasons ago?

That was a question we posted to our Twitter followers a few days ago. We sided with the McShane game. The reason? As already noted in this preview, Brighton were absolutely terrible in 2005-06 with Crystal Palace being three or four levels at least above the Albion.

To go and win at Selhurst then was unexpected and brilliant. The best sort of derby day success as it inflicted maximum embarrassment on Palace.

A bad WeAreBrighton.com memory of Crystal Palace away
Our first experience of Palace versus Brighton came in 2002 at Selhurst Park. You wait 13 years to play your arch rivals and then when the chance finally arrives, you go and lose 5-0. Ouch.

Crystal Palace’s most famous fan
The difference in class between Brighton and Palace is clearly marked by the standard of celebrity fans. The Albion can count Fatboy Slim among their number, one of the finest DJs in the world and a name known across earth.

Who do Palace have? Jo Brand and the bloke who plays Jay in The Inbetweeners.

Prediction
A repeat of last season at Selhurst. Lots of possession for Brighton but a lack of cutting edge leads to a 1-1 draw.