It’s the end of the road for this report, as Brighton take the spoils in the second M23 derby of the season. Jacob Steinberg was our man at Selhurst Park. Here’s his verdict. Thanks for reading the MBM!
Roy Hodgson’s turn. “We did dominate possession, we had a lot of the ball, and came across a packed defence. It wasn’t easy to create clear-cut chances, though we can’t be accused of not trying to. But the first goal comes from a ball in the swirling wind which makes life difficult for James Tomkins, and sets up beautifully for Glenn Murray. We had high hopes at 1-1, that we would go on to use our possession and territorial advantage to get a second goal. But of course we found ourselves on the end of a magnificent strike, right on the joint, that turns out to be the winning goal. It’s not as though we were outplayed, it’s because we couldn’t turn our possession into chances. Our priority is to stay in the Premier League, but if we can get to a cup semi-final that would be a nice thing to do too.”
Chris Hughton speaks! “It’s a manly performance, particularly conceding when we did in the second half. The place was rocking then. But we weathered the storm. We had real good opportunities to break and increase our scoreline. I’ve been told their penalty was a penalty, so I have no complaints. We scored two excellent goals to win the game. We want to see that more often from Anthony Knockaert, with his ability. The goal caps a good all-round performance by him.” As for his potential sending off in the first 15 seconds? “From where I was, and I was very close, no.” Are you close to safety? “I’ve always maintained you need 40 points. It might be less than that, but it’s our goal.”
Today’s expected goals result: Crystal Palace 1.52, Brighton & Hove Albion 0.16. Commiserations to the Seagulls on an extremely disappointing afternoon. Can Chris Hughton survive this calamity?
Glenn Murray speaks to Sky! “A huge result for us. We’ve come off the back of some poor form, we got a crucial win last weekend and to back it up with these three points is crucial for us. Obviously I wasn’t meant to be starting, and got drafted in late. It’s great to get the goal. I’m delighted to get the three points.”
Brighton’s other goalscoring hero Anthony Knockaert adds: “It’s amazing, a great feeling. Obviously we were desperate to get back-to-back wins, and we did it. It’s nice to help the team, and to get the winning goal in a derby is special. I saw the space for me to go inside, but could not hit the first time. I took an extra touch and had more space, it was a superb finish. I am buzzing!”
Brighton cavort in the corner, celebrating a huge win over their enemy! It’s a result that gives their survival hopes a huge boost, back-to-back Premier League wins recorded just when folk were beginning to question their capacity to stay up. A worrying slump reversed in memorable fashion. And Knockaert’s goal will live long in the memory. He’s very much earned the right to take off his shirt, dance around, and salute his fans. Brighton are up to 14th, on 33 points, behind 13th-placed Palace on goal difference but with a game in hand. It was a deserved victory for the Seagulls: they scored two fantastic goals and were resolute in defence. Palace, a brief spell after the break aside, were poor.
FULL TIME: Crystal Palace 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Anthony Knockaert’s sensational curler wins the M23 derby! Brighton join Palace on 33 points, nudging clear of danger, after completing their first league double over their arch rivals since 1983-84!
Updated
90 min +5: Locadia comes on for Jahanbakhsh. Palace win a corner from the throw, and yet another set piece becomes a total non-event.
90 min +4: Zaha and Bernardo go nose to nose as Palace win a thrown deep on the right. All nonsense.
Updated
90 min +3: Bernardo takes a heavy touch as he clears his lines and moves upfield. He’s booked for lunging in on Meyer. That’s a free kick, 30 yards out on the right. And it’s wasted, Brighton clearing easily.
90 min +2: Ryan is booked for wasting time over the resulting goal kick.
90 min +1: Zaha crosses from the right. Batshuayi rises but can’t beat Dunk. The ball drops to Schlupp, standing alone on the penalty spot. The ball takes a while to come down, though, which means Schlupp is rushing to take his shot ... and his effort flies harmlessly over the crossbar!
Updated
90 min: There will be four added minutes.
89 min: Dann is booked for charging March to the ground as the Brighton player raced along the right touchline. No complaints.
88 min: Happily, van Aanholt is back up and about. A stinger, nothing more.
87 min: Van Aanholt collides with March. A totally innocent accident, but the Palace man has hurt himself there. He’s down receiving treatment, in some pain.
85 min: Brighton knock the ball around in reasonably calm style, given the way this match is poised. They earn a couple of free kicks, chances to run the clock down in a professional manner. Tick, tock.
83 min: It’s tense end-to-end fun. For the neutral, that is, almost certainly not for fans of Palace and Brighton. A corner for Palace out on the right. The delivery doesn’t allow Benteke a header towards goal. Brighton mop up.
82 min: Jahanbakhsh makes a little space for himself, 25 yards out, and nearly out-Knockaerts Knockaert. He sends a dipping shot inches over the crossbar, Guaita not necessarily getting to it, had it been on target.
80 min: Bissouma robs Meyer and suddenly Brighton are countering four on three, Palace having over-committed in attack. The ball’s shuttled wide right towards March, but the sub hesitates and dribbles himself into a state of confusion, before lamely giving possession back to the hosts.
79 min: Bernardo stops Zaha out on the right. Unfairly so. Free kick, and a chance for Palace to load the box. Benteke will fancy this. But Milivojevic fails to beat the first man, and Brighton clear. That was a very poor delivery.
77 min: And now a double change for Palace, Townsend and McArthur replaced by Meyer and Benteke.
76 min: That was Knockaert’s last contribution. He immediately makes way for March.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion (Knockaert 74)
This is a sensational goal, one of the season’s best! Knockaert is found out on the right touchline with a long pass. He cuts inside, past van Aanholt, along the front of the Palace box. When he reaches the right-hand side of the D, he curls a shot towards the top left. It’s right in the corner, off the angle and in, giving Guaita no chance! That was a precision whip into the top left! What a strike!
Updated
72 min: Brighton are giving up a few half-chances now. Milivojevic drifts in from the left and looks for the bottom right. It’s not a million miles away, but wide, and Ryan had it covered.
71 min: Zaha forces Knockaert into a poor clearance out on the Palace left. That allows Townsend to take up possession and cut inside, but he welts a dreadful effort miles over the bar while looking, presumably, for the top right.
70 min: Murray cynically clips Milivojevic’s heel, and quite correctly goes in the book. Schlupp comes across to take issue with the brazen foul; he’s told to pipe down by both Murray and the referee. But it all calms down quickly enough. Poor Milivojevic, though, he’s been tossed around like an old sock this afternoon.
69 min: Zaha tries to inject some quality into an increasingly scrappy game. He dribbles elegantly down the inside-left channel, drifts inside as he reaches the area, and for a second looks to have adroitly engineered a little space to shoot. But there’s simply too many green shirts swarming him, and eventually he’s crowded out. Brighton clear.
67 min: Play continues to be very bitty. A little wind has been taken out of the Palace sail.
65 min: A bit of a lull, which will make Brighton happy. They’ve been second best in this second half, and need a little time to clear their heads. Passes aren’t sticking.
63 min: Murray and Milivojevic contest a high ball in the centre circle. The Palace captain comes off worst, falling onto his head from a great height, Murray having stood his ground with great determination. He’s been in the thick of the battle today, pretty much from the get-go. But he’s hardy, and is good to continue.
61 min: A corner for Palace down the right. Brighton deal with it easily. But that doesn’t stop Chris Hughton looking concerned with the direction of travel in this match. He’s in full Ponder Mode on the touchline.
60 min: Dunk and Batshuayi chase a ball towards touch down the Palace left. It’s going to be a Palace throw; Dunk gives the striker a cheeky little shove in the back. Batshuayi isn’t particularly happy to be pushed face down into pitchside dirt, but the officials see nothing wrong with it. Garden-variety derby nonsense.
58 min: Propper creams a long pass down the left for JahanBakhsh, who does extremely well to keep the ball in play and makes good for the box. Just before he gets there, he’s upended by Tomkins, and should be awarded a free kick near the left-hand corner of the area. But the referee waves play on. Brighton aren’t happy; they need to take the pressure off as much as anything, because it’s been all Palace since the restart.
56 min: McArthur drives at the Brighton defence, the hosts retreating in a panic. He’s got options either side, but slams a pass left, meant for Zaha, straight into touch. That was a real wasted opportunity, because Zaha would have been taking on Montoya, who is on a yellow card.
54 min: Duffy faffs around as the ball bounces 25 yards from goal. He fails to head, then control, and Batshuayi takes over. The striker can’t quite tear clear, and slips a pass right to Townsend, who eventually shoots over. Duffy really got away with one there. Brighton are rocking.
52 min: The penalty incident came after some good work from Batshuayi and McArthur, both causing problems on the edge of the box with some twinkling toes before Townsend took over. A result of Palace having taken it up a notch.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton & Hove Albion (Milivojevic 50 pen)
The wind blows the ball off the spot. But Milivojevic has ice in the veins, and knows what he’s doing from 12 yards. He calmly whips the penalty into the top right, sending Ryan the wrong way. Selhurst erupts! That’s a perfect start to the half for the hosts!
Updated
Penalty for Crystal Palace!
49 min: Townsend has the ball just inside the Brighton box. He drops a shoulder to the left, in the hope of making some space for a shot. Propper sticks out a leg and Townsend goes over it. A no-brainer of a decision! What a poor challenge by Propper.
Updated
47 min: Jahanbakhsh still hasn’t scored for Brighton. He has an attempt from 25 yards, out on the left. Guaita is behind it all the way.
46 min: Palace appear to have been given a rocket by Roy. They’re scuttling around in determined fashion. But passes still aren’t sticking. Van Aanholt drives down the left but is quickly robbed of possession. The first groans of the second period.
Brighton get the second half underway! No changes.
BREAKING NEWS: Marketing types occasionally talk out of their hat. Who knew?
HALF TIME: Crystal Palace 0-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Palace only really got going after 44 minutes or so; the half-time whistle comes just as they were finally asking some questions of Brighton. They trudge off with some thinking to do. Brighton will be very happy with their first-half work.
Updated
45 min +1: Brighton deal with the corner easily. But Palace come again, McArthur shaping a shot from out on the left, towards the top right. It’s deflected out for a corner. Townsend floats a ball in from the right. It’s half cleared. Tomkins, running backwards, clatters into Knockaert and wants a penalty. But he was going down before contact, looking for it, and the referee’s not interested.
45 min: Palace push Brighton back into their final third, and suddenly a little space opens up. Finally. Zaha and Batshuayi combine down the inside-left channel and the latter is able to take a shot from a tight angle. But Ryan’s got it covered, and the ball is deflected out for a corner.
43 min: Milivojevic sprays a pass down the right, Wan-Bissaka the intended target. It flies straight out for a goal kick. The Brighton fans, already in good cheer, enjoyed that. Palace need the half-time whistle, and some beneficial advice from their manager.
42 min: But nothing comes of it. Palace have been extremely blunt up front.
41 min: Zaha hasn’t had any space to work in. But here his sheer persistence, and refusal to give up a lost cause, earns a corner out on the left.
39 min: More pinball soccer. And most of it’s in the middle of the park, too. Not much to report, in other words. Brighton will be perfectly happy with this, of course. Selhurst is quiet by its own high standards.
37 min: McArthur and Schlupp swarm Bissouma on the halfway line and tear upfield with the ball. They slip the ball wide left to Zaha, who dribbles down a cul-de-sac and eventually scoops a weak cross out of play for a goal kick. Palace’s increasing frustration is palpable.
35 min: Townsend dribbles with purpose down the right, but his cross is blocked by Bernardo. Shades of handball, with Bernardo’s back turned and right arm hanging out, but the referee waves play on, much to the home support’s chagrin. Penny for the thoughts of Presnel Kimpembe.
33 min: As a result, the Palace support have become a little subdued. The travelling fans are making most of the noise right now.
31 min: Palace have enjoyed two-thirds of possession so far, but little else. Brighton are holding their shape, sitting deep, and the hosts - best when they’re on the counter - are struggling to find a way through.
29 min: Tomkins gets on the end of the corner, looping a header towards the top left. There’s no pace on it, and Ryan can scoop clear. From the resulting brouhaha, Schlupp sends the ball wide left. It’s the first time Palace have asked serious questions of the Brighton defence.
28 min: This is still being played at 70mph. McArthur bursts down the left and manages to force the ball inside towards Zaha, who drops a shoulder and shoots from the penalty spot. Dunk sticks out a leg and deflects out for a corner on the right.
Updated
26 min: File that Dann-Duffy tussle under Seen Them Given. Yes I know that’s a cop-out. But you have seen them given. Dann definitely had his arm around Duffy’s shoulder. Brighton could easily have been awarded a penalty there.
24 min: Knockaert fires the free kick in from the left. The ball’s only half cleared - Dann rather fortunate to get away with dragging down Duffy amid a melee - and Bissouma tries to shoot from the edge of the box. His effort balloons through to Guaita. Zaha tries to break up the left, and is stopped unfairly by Montoya, who becomes the second Brighton player to go in the book.
23 min: Wan-Bissaka bundles over Propper, out on the Brighton left. A chance for the visitors to load the box and cause some bother.
21 min: And to think he wasn’t supposed to be in the starting XI. That’s football, that.
GLENN MURRAY! Crystal Palace 0-1 Brighton & Hove Albion (Murray 20)
A long hoof upfield. Tomkins fluffs his clearing header. That’s the rubbish out of the way. Because after that, it’s quite sensational, as Murray romps clear down the inside-right channel, and from the edge of the box, pearls an unstoppable shot across Guaita and into the bottom left! That’s a glorious finish by the leading scorer in this fixture, and it’s Murray’s 100th goal in a Brighton shirt!
Updated
18 min: Zaha sashays in from the left, scooting past Stephens in the insouciant style. He looks for the top right from the edge of the D, but leans back and the ball sails off towards Sainsbury’s.
17 min: Townsend announces himself on the left, forcing Bernardo to block out for the first corner of the match. Nothing comes of the set piece, and Bissouma blooters clear.
16 min: It’s bagatelle right now. Two-pass moves are at a premium.
14 min: Milivojevic gifts Brighton possession in the Palace half, but Brighton go backwards instead of forwards and there’s a half-chance to trouble the hosts gone.
12 min: It’s all a bit scrappy and hectic right now. That’s derby football for you. Here’s Gary Naylor: “A rare (well, rareish) match-up of two British managers in the Premier League that prompted me to look to see if any of them were overachieving reasonable expectations this season. And I don’t think that they are.” Does that count as yet another good reason to call off Brexit?
10 min: There really is a sensational old-school atmosphere at Selhurst, both sets of fans giving it plenty. And it’s ramped up another notch as Bassouma slides in on the much-fouled Zaha. The referee gives him another lecture; I suspect it’s his last one before he goes in the book.
8 min: So having said that, Brighton launch a slinky attack, Knockaert and Bissouma combining down the right, the former nearly releasing the latter with a cute sliderule pass along the channel. Schlupp is alert to the danger and does very well to intercept.
7 min: A little time and space for Batshuayi, just outside the Brighton box. He takes a speculative shot. It’s deflected and easily snaffled by Ryan. But the visitors are sitting deep, inviting some pressure.
5 min: Bissouma was telling Knockaert to calm down, but now he’s in the thick of it, clipping the heel of Milivojevic, in the wars during these early exchanges. That one only earns a lecture from the referee. Brighton appear to have decided that a robust approach is for the best.
4 min: Brighton haven’t really had much of a touch yet. Murray tries to get on the end of a long punt, but he’s never going to be able to control, never mind hold it up. Palace stroke it around for a bit.
2 min: Before the game restarts, Bissouma spends a little time telling his team-mate Knockaert to simmer down. Zaha wasn’t particularly happy either, and has his say. Gotta love fierce rivalries!
And we’re off! The hosts get the ball rolling. It’s the 99th meeting between this pair! It’s a windy day ... but sunny. Within 15 seconds, Knockaert goes in hard on Milivojevic. Studs on knee as the pair slide together. He’s rather fortunate to get away with just a yellow card, because he raised his leg going into that challenge, and didn’t look in full control. What a start that could have been.
Updated
The teams are out! A cracking atmosphere at Selhurst Park, as ever, but even more so given today’s opposition. Everyone glad all over. Palace sport their famous red and blue stripes, while Brighton wear a rather lovely second-choice green. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes.
A late change. Florin Andone has pulled something in the warm-up, so he’ll be replaced in the Brighton starting XI by M23 derby specialist Glenn Murray. “For marketing this overseas, to those of us for whom M23 sounds like a dubious indie band, may I suggest we tag this one as The Quadrophenia?” pitches Joe Studholme. “Mods versus Rockers?” It’d certainly work when they’re facing off down on the south coast. They could schedule the next derby at the Amex for a 5.15 kickoff. Purple hearts all round on the train down. I’m sure Southern Rail would love that.
Roy Hodgson talks! “I do know, having come back here, what this means to the supporters. But when I was growing up in the area, it wasn’t a fixture of any particular note. Of course in the 1970s when the rivalry kicked off I was working in Sweden, so I would lie if I said I knew exactly what this means to the supporters from a personal viewpoint. But of course I do realise what it means for the supporters because I work for the club and I have been well rehearsed into all the trials and tribulations of the Palace-Brighton game. We have taken our chances recently, there has been a relative consistency to our performances. There is no doubt that if we get to 36 points you are looking at a potential downhill run rather than an uphill run, because teams below us have more work to do. Today is an opportunity for that but it’s by no means a given.”
Brighton boss Chris Hughton explains the Andone-Murray decision. “It’s just the level of competition we have. Florin Andone in our last win changed the game, and got the goal. We need to be smart in the way we play, because there’s no doubt this is a very big game for the supporters, and Palace can get a tremendous atmosphere here. We need to make sure we don’t get caught up in that one. They’re a very good offensive team with good options. Our morale has been good, and the cup games have lifted us, so there’s been no doom and gloom. But to make sure this is the season that we’d like, we need more points. Last week was a big win for us. If we can be encouraged by last week’s performance, then of course we have a chance.”
Palace won 3-1 at Burnley in their last fixture, and make three changes to the starting XI named that day. Andros Townsend and James McArthur replace Cheikhou Kouyate and Max Meyer, both of whom drop to the bench. Meanwhile there’s no Wayne Hennessey today; his place between the sticks is taken by Vicente Guaita, while the veteran Julian Speroni backs up on the bench.
Brighton make just one change to the side that beat Huddersfield Town 1-0 last Saturday. Florin Andone replaces M23 expert Glenn Murray up front.
The teams
Crystal Palace: Guaita, Wan Bissaka, Tomkins, Dann, van Aanholt, McArthur, Milivojevic, Schlupp, Townsend, Batshuayi, Zaha.
Subs: Speroni, Ward, Meyer, Kouyate, Ayew, Benteke, Kelly.
Brighton & Hove Albion: Ryan, Montoya, Dunk, Duffy, Bernardo, Bissouma, Stephens, Propper, Knockaert, Andone, Jahanbakhsh.
Subs: Bong, Kayal, Murray, Izquierdo, March, Button, Burn.
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire).
Updated
Preamble
The M23. A high-speed vehicular highway in the United Kingdom opened in 1974 that runs north to south from the Surrey village of Hooley to Pease Pottage in West Sussex, with a spur at junction nine for Gatwick Airport. There are more lyrical and romantic names for a football derby, if we’re being honest with ourselves.
Still, what a rivalry! Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion have met on an irregular basis since their Southern League days in the early 20th century, though they only started truly locking horns in the 1970s, Malcolm Allison, Peter Taylor, Terry Venables, Alan Mullery, all that. There’s no love lost.
Recently, the fixtures have pretty much gone the way of the home team. Brighton have won two of the last three at the Amex, the other match being a goalless draw, while Palace have won two of the last three at Selhurst Park, the other match being a 1-1 draw. Brighton beat Palace 3-1 last December thanks to a three-goal first-half blitz, despite Shane Duffy getting himself sent off; Palace won 3-2 at Selhurst last April, all the goals coming in a wild first 34 minutes.
Hopefully we’ll get another goalfest this afternoon. Maybe it’ll even continue into the second half this time. Glenn Murray in particular seems to love this fixture, having scored six times, three for Brighton, three during his stint at Palace. Wilfried Zaha likes it too, having notched twice here last time round. Much entertainment is promised, then. It’s the M23 derby! Stay in lane! It’s on!
Kick off: 12.30pm BST.
Speed limit: 70mph.
Updated
