The first of two encounters with our rivals is up next and one of two fixtures that fans of both clubs look at when they are released ahead of each season, and it is difficult to call which way this one will go as form goes out of the window.
MATCH INFORMATION
- 8pm – 21st December 2023
- Selhurst Park, Holmesdale Road, London SE25 6PU
PREVIOUS MEETING
It was back in February when this fixture last took place at Selhurst where the points were shared between the two sides after Solly March gave the visitors a second half lead, but James Tomkins levelled soon afterwards.
MAN OF THE MATCH – Solly March (8.9)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: John Brooks. Assistants: Lee Betts, Akil Howson. Fourth official: Simon Hooper. VAR: David Coote. Assistant VAR: Constantine Hatzidakis.
PALACE – Cheick Doucoure, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Rob Holding, Sam Johnstone, Odsonne Edouard, and Joel Ward all miss out. Jordan Ayew returns from a ban while Jefferson Lerma is a doubt.
BRIGHTON – Anssumane Fati, Pervis Estupinan, Adam Webster, Tariq Lamptey, Julio Enciso, Joel Veltman, and Solly March are all ruled out.
DISCIPLINARY RECORD
RED CARDS – Jordan Ayew (1), Lewis Dunk (1), Mahmoud Dahoud (1)
YELLOW CARDS (4+) – Jordan Ayew (4), Lewis Dunk (4), Joachim Andersen (4), Kaoru Mitoma (4), Billy Gilmour (4)
FORM GUIDE
Last FIVE meetings between the two sides;
- 15/03/23 Brighton 1-0 Palace
- 11/02/23 Palace 1-1 Brighton
- 14/01/22 Brighton 1-1 Palace
- 27/09/21 Palace 1-1 Brighton
- 22/02/21 Brighton 1-2 Palace
Last FIVE results for Palace:
- 16/12/23 City 2-2 Palace
- 09/12/23 Palace 1-2 Liverpool
- 06/12/23 Palace 0-2 Bournemouth
- 03/12/23 West Ham 1-1 Palace
- 24/11/23 Luton 2-1 Palace
Last FIVE results for Brighton;
- 17/12/23 Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
- 14/12/23 Brighton 1-0 Marseille
- 09/12/23 Brighton 1-1 Burnley
- 06/12/23 Brighton 2-1 Brentford
- 03/12/23 Chelsea 3-2 Brighton
LEAGUE POSITION
Heading into the fixture, Palace are 15th in the Premier League with 17 points from 17 games, while Brighton are 9th with 26 points.
RECORD AGAINST BRIGHTON
- Played 109
- Won 38
- Drawn 30
- Lost 41
FORM PLAYERS ACCORDING TO WHO SCORED
- Solly March 7.43
- Eberechi Eze 7.27
- Pascal Gross 7.14
- Michael Olise 7.07
ONE TO WATCH
SIMON ADINGRA
FORMER CLUBS – Right To Dream, Nordsjaelland, Union SG (loan)
The Ivory Coast international has been another in a growing list of players that make their name down on the South Coast thanks to their excellent recruitment process. The 21 year old has already made 15 appearances for the club and netted on 4 occasions which suggest that there is plenty more to come.
KEY CLASH
JEAN-PHILIPPE MATETA v LEWIS DUNK
The French striker will end up leaving Palace with perhaps the most iconic goals scored under his belt, who can forget his goal against Brighton at the Amex? He is in form and will be up against pantomime villain Dunk as captain of the visitors which should be an intriguing battle on the night.
PRE-MATCH STATS
- GOALS – Odsonne Edouard (6 – 12th in PL)
- ASSISTS – Jordan Ayew/ Jean-Philippe Mateta (3)
- PASSES – Joachim Andersen (1012 – 18th in PL)
- TACKLES – Tyrick Mitchell (37– 17th in PL)
- TOUCHES – Joachim Andersen (1253 – 19th in PL)
- SHOTS – Odsonne Edouard (39 – 14th in PL)
- FOULS – Jordan Ayew (27 – 7th in PL)
- DISPOSSESSED – Jordan Ayew (48 – 1st in PL)
- SAVES – Sam Johnstone (34 – 17th in PL)
- CLEARANCES – Joachim Andersen (87 – 2nd in PL)
- BIG CHANCES MISSED – Jordan Ayew/ Odsonne Edouard (4)
THE NUMBERS
The past 4 Premier League meetings between Palace and Brighton at Selhurst Park have all ended 1-1.
Palace have lost their past 4 home league games, as many as in their previous 19 at Selhurst Park (W7 D8). They last lost 5 in a row between December 2016 and February 2017.
Albion are without a clean sheet in their past 21 league games, shipping 38 goals in that run. It is their longest league run without a clean sheet in their history.
Since the start of October, no side have won fewer Premier League matches than Palace (one – level with Nottingham Forest and Luton Town). They are also the only side without a home Premier League win in that timeframe.
Teenagers have made 99 Premier League appearances for Brighton in 2023, the most by a team in a calendar year in Premier League history. Nine teenagers have appeared for the Seagulls this year, with only Tottenham in 1993 (10) and Middlesbrough in 2006 (10) having more appear in a calendar year in the competition.
TEB PREDICTION
This fixture always ends in a draw, doesn’t it? In fact, the last 4 have ended 1-1. The visitors have only won in South London once in the last 9 games and we expect both sets of fans would take a draw in what is the final game before Christmas.
FINAL SCORE: 1-1
RESOURCES
