Sarr Brace Sees Palace Hand Brighton Home Defeat

Oliver Glasner described this result as an early Christmas present from the players to the fans, and it could not have been a better gift which topped off a good run of results leading into the fixture on the South Coast.

MATCH INFORMATION

PLAYER RATINGS

UNUSED SUBSTITUTES – 15 Jeffrey SCHLUPP, 30 Matt TURNER, 58 Caleb KPORHA, 64 Asher AGBINONE

OPPOSITION LINE-UP

UNUSED SUBSTITUTES – 3 Igor JULIO, 15 Jakub MODER, 23 Jason STEELE, 44 Ruairi MCCONVILLE

TEB VERDICT

This was the first experience of the rivalry for both managers and it was Oliver Glasner who came out top with flying colours.

Heading into the fixture, the Eagles had started to build up a head of steam with an unbeaten run and they topped that off with a superb win which banished the terrible result last season.

The Eagles played the hosts perfectly, and in all honesty, the scoreline could have been more. Ismaila Sarr came of age in a Palace shirt and was supported several excellent individual performances including Tyrick Mitchell, Trevoh Chalobah and Daniel Munoz.

However, the impressive midfield partnership that continues to grow between Will Hughes and Jefferson Lerma has been key in recent weeks and really shone in this victory at the Amex.

In truth, Palace made the hosts look very ordinary in what was a very solid team performance with the substitutes playing an important part when entering the fray.

The head into back-to-back fixtures against Arsenal five games unbeaten and it is clear that confidence is growing game by game. This was a big result, not just in the rivalry, but one that Glasner and his staff can continue to build on.

POST GAME QUOTES

OLIVER GLASNER

“All the credit goes to the players. We defended compact, we didn’t give them many situations. They changed their system and we struggled to put pressure on the ball. In this phase we needed Dean Henderson who made two or three big saves. The 3-0 was the moment that decided the game for us and it was a very positive performance.

We knew that if we were patient, we would get better performances. Some players were not fit, new signings, but we didn’t want to talk about this and look to be making excuses. We are getting more confident with how we want to play. It was always clear for us that we would get better results. But it is not time to relax, it is time to keep going.

Our fans are always supporting us, especially after a difficult start. I said to the players today was a chance to give them a little bit back, a Christmas gift.”

FABIAN HURZELER

“We conceded the goals too easy. We didn’t score in the phases when we had plenty of chances and that is why it is a bad experience. It is very disappointing but we should see this as a lesson for us.

There is a lot of theory now about what would have happened if we scored but we didn’t find it and we need to find a solution.

I always see the challenge to find the solutions. We are in a process, development is not always linear. You have to stay calm and stay focused.”

MATCH STATISTICS

POSITION IN THE TABLE (at the final whistle)

UPCOMING FIXTURES