Crystal Palace were forced to settle for a goalless draw against Brighton & Hove Albion in a fiercely contested Premier League (PL) derby at Selhurst Park, a result that stood in stark contrast to the eight previous league meetings between these two rivals at this ground, all of which had seen both sides score,Softfootball reports.
Palace came into the game riding high on confidence after a 3-1 win over AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Conference League, their first home victory in the competition, while Brighton were looking to bounce back from a 2-0 EFL Cup defeat away to Arsenal.
As expected from a fixture steeped in rivalry, the opening exchanges were full of aggression and energy. Ismaïla Sarr’s dazzling run set up Jean-Philippe Mateta for the game’s first real chance, though the French striker dragged his effort wide. At the other end, Brighton responded through Diego Gómez, but his shot was well saved, while Palace’s own keeper was equally sharp to deny Sarr moments later.
The tempo only briefly dipped when Adam Wharton required treatment, yet the intensity soon returned, with Sarr repeatedly winning fouls in advanced positions to the delight of the home crowd. Jaydee Canvot came close after reacting to a flick-on inside the box, but Brighton’s defence, marshalled by Lewis Dunk, held firm. Wharton then fired wide from range after a Palace corner caused chaos in the Seagulls’ box.
Both sides had half-chances before halftime, Yankuba Minteh missing the target for Brighton after clever work from Gómez, while Sarr’s trickery continued to trouble the visitors’ full-backs.
Palace nearly broke the deadlock after the restart when Wharton intercepted Carlos Baleba’s loose pass and sparked a move that saw Daichi Kamada’s shot narrowly miss after a deflection. Brighton thought they had earned a penalty when Georginio Rutter theatrically went down in the box, but referee Tim Robinson correctly booked the Frenchman for simulation — a decision that drew applause from the Selhurst Park faithful.
The hosts pushed forward late on, with Kamada hitting the side netting and substitute Yéremy Pino forcing a fine save from Bart Verbruggen. Jefferson Lerma’s defensive heroics at the other end denied Yasin Ayari, while Maxence Lacroix’s late header drifted over as the clock wound down.
After the game Brighton manager via the teams official X handle expressed his thoughts and feelings towards the barren draw his team played out against Crystal palace at Selhurst park. Watch his reaction below:
In the end, neither side could find the finishing touch in a match that was high on energy but low on cutting edge. The result extended Palace’s impressive home unbeaten run in the Premier League to 12 matches, keeping them a point ahead of Brighton, who have now lost just one of their last seven league outings.
It may not have been the thrilling scoreline this rivalry has produced in the past, but it was another gritty showing from Palace, who continue to look resilient both domestically and in Europe.
