Read our match report and all the goals from Brighton vs Crystal Palace…
Ismaila Sarr’s second-half strike ended Crystal Palace’s eight-game winless in the Premier League as they beat rivals Brighton 1-0 at the American Express Stadium.
In a game of very few chances, returning AFCON star Sarr proved the difference for the Eagles after a clinical finish from debutant Evann Guessand’s through ball just after the hour mark to earn the bragging rights for the Eagles and lift them above their rivals into 13th place.
While Palace’s desperate winless run, which was as many as 13 in all competitions, is over, the Seagulls’ poor form continued with Fabian Hurzeler’s men now winning just one of their last 12 Premier League games.
Brighton vs Crystal Palace as it happened
It was Seagulls skipper Lewis Dunk who was the biggest threat early on, causing issues with a few headers before a golden chance went his way as he nodded wide from Pascal Gross’ free-kick delivery.
A cagey first half followed with both sides struggling to break each other down, with the guile of Kaoru Mitoma needed to carve out an opening on 31 minutes when his cross found Maxim De Cuyper whose goal-bound shot was blocked brilliantly by Chris Richards.
A good spell of Palace pressure followed with Dunk having to head behind a dangerous Daniel Munoz cross across the face of goal after some tidy link-up between new man Jorgen Strand Larsen and Adam Wharton.
Sarr then broke clear after Carlos Baleba was dispossessed by Munoz but the Africa Cup of Nations winger sliced his finish wide of the mark as the half-time whistle blew with the teams level.
Palace were the more in control in the second half but struggled to create too many chances until Guessand, only just brought on for his debut following his move from Aston Villa, drew three or four defenders towards him before threading in Sarr who dispatched the finish to put the Eagles ahead.
It was Palace’s only clear-cut chance of the game and a few minutes later Brighton had theirs when Charalampos Kostoulas went through on goal but his side-footed finish was read well by Dean Henderson.
Two chances to double the Eagles’ lead then came Strand Larsen’s way as the former Wolves man shot straight at Verbruggen before misguiding a header well wide.
Brighton continued to toil to find a way back into the game but continued to lack any sort of killer touch as they looked a shadow of the side which was troubling the Champions League places at the start of December.
Munoz was perhaps fortunate to stay on the pitch in added time after tripping his opponent moments after picking up a yellow card for kicking the ball away moments before but the defender managed to escape punishment.
Strand Larsen then spurned a golden chance to wrap up the game when his side-footed finish was too close to Vurbruggen who got down well to keep his team in the game.
