5 APRIL 2025
CRYSTAL PALACE 2 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 1
PREMIER LEAGUE - at SELHURST PARK,
After the poor results against Forest and Villa, the Albion faced another tough task, with a trip to South London for a Premier League encounter with arch-rivals Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, the game being covered by BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
Last time out the Albion had suffered a 0-3 home defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier on the 2 April and for the trip to Palace the Albion made four changes to their starting line-up from that game, with Carlos Baleba, Yankuba Minteh, Matt O'Riley and Danny Welbeck coming in for Yasin Ayari, Simon Adingra, Brajan Gruda and Joao Pedro.
In their previous Premier League outing Palace had drawn 1-1 with Southampton at St. Mary's Stadium on the 2 April and for Albion's visit Head Coach Oliver Glasner made one change to his starting line-up from that game, with Daichi Kamada replacing Nathaniel Clyne.
In the teams meetings in the Premier last season, they drew 1-1 at Selhurst Park on the 21 December 2023, with Danny Welbeck (82m) netting for the Seagulls after Jordan Ayew (45+1m) had opened the scoring for the Eagles. In the return fixture at the Amex on the 3 February 2024, the Albion ran out 4-1 winners, with the goals coming from Lewis Dunk (3m), Jack Hinshelwood (33m), Facundo Buonanotte (34m) and Joao Pedro (84m), with Jean-Philippe Mateta (71m) netting the Eagles consolation.
Earlier this season, in the reverse fixture, Palace won 3-1 at the Amex on the 15 December 2024, with their goals coming from Ismaila Sarr 2 (33m & 82m) and Trevor Chalobah (27m). Albion's goal came by virtue of a Marc Guehi own goal (87m).
The Albion could not have made a worse start in front of a raucous crowd at Selhurst Park as they fell a goal behind with just three minutes on the clock. Eberechi Eze, in acres of space on the Palace left, played the ball to Jean-Philippe Mateta on the edge of the Albion box and the French striker was allowed time and space to swivel and smash a shot into the top of the net for the Palace opener.
The Seagulls defence had been all over the place. 0-1. Five minutes later Eze made a fine run down his left but his final shot just missed the target. On 14 minutes Palace keeper Dean Henderson made a superb double save to deny Carlos Baleba and then Danny Welbeck. The Seagulls deservedly equalised just past the half-hour mark when Yankuba Minteh's fine cross from the right was deflected by Welbeck past Henderson from six yards out. 1-1. All square at the interval.
Half-time 1-1.
Ten minutes into the second-half and the Eagles went ahead for the second time in the game when the excellent Eze cruised down the left before passing the ball to the on-running Daniel Munoz on the opposite flank who fired a low shot across the diving Verbruggen and into the Albion net.
A chaotic 17 minutes then ensued as three red cards were dished out by Referee Anthony Taylor. Palace were down to ten men on 78 minutes when substitute Eddie Nketiah was shown a second yellow card for a high challenge on Jan Paul Van Hecke. Ten minutes later Palace were down to nine men when Captain Marc Guehi received a second yellow card for a foul on Brajan Gruda.
The mayhem continued into twelve minutes of time added on as the Albion were reduced to ten men as Van Hecke received a second yellow card for bringing down Daichi Kamada. In the very last minute of time added on keeper Henderson made a superb save to keep out a Yasin Ayari shot to deny Albion an equaliser.
Final-score 1-2.
Match stats:
Albion had 11 attempts at goal, with 5 on target and won 4 corners, free-kicks conceded - 13.
Crystal Palace had 8 attempts at goal, with 3 on target and won 2 corners, free-kicks conceded - 12.
TO SUM UP - Another disappointing result for the Albion, with Palace completing a first league double over the Albion since 1933. Some of the Seagulls players, especially the forwards were not at the races. The Albion now have a week to prepare for a must-win game at home to Leicester City on the 12 April.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Bart VERBRUGGEN; Jack HINSHELWOOD (Mats WIEFFER 93), Jan Paul VAN HECKE, Lewis DUNK (Capt), Pervis ESTUPINAN (Yasin AYARI 81); Carlos BALEBA , Diego GOMEZ (Brajan GRUDA 72); Yankuba MINTEH (Solly MARCH 72), Matt O'RILEY (Joao PEDRO 63), Kaoru MITOMA (Simon ADINGRA 63); Danny WELBECK. Subs not used: Carl RUSHWORTH (G/K), Eiran CASHIN, Charlie TASKER.
Crystal Palace line-up (3-4-2-1):- Dean ENDERSON; Jefferson LERMA, Maxence LACROIX (Joel WARD 90), Marc GUEHI (Capt); Daniel MUNOZ, Adam WHARTON (Will HUGHES 82), Daichi KAMADA, Tyrick MITCHELL (Ben CHILWELL 63); Ismaila SARR, Eberechi EZE (Justin DEVENNY 82); Jean-Philippe MATETA (Eddie NKETIAH 68).
Subs not used: Matt TURNER (G/K), Nathaniel CLYNE, Matheus FRANCA, Romain ESSE.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Greater Manchester).
Fourth Official: Sam Allison.
VAR Official: Craig Pawson.
Red Cards: Albion: 1 - Jan Paul Van Hecke. Crystal Palace: 2 - Eddie Nketiah, Marc Guehi.
Yellow Cards: Albion: 3 - Jan Paul Van Hecke (2), Solly March. Crystal Palace: 4 - Eddie Nketiah (2), Marc Guehi (2)
Possession: Albion - 62%. Crystal Palace - 38%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace).
Attendance: 24564.
NEXT GAME:
12 APRIL 2025 - LEICESTER CITY - Home - Premier League - kick-off 15.00.
Jack Kaye.
9 April 2025..
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