Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 4, Crystal Palace 1.
Brighton scored three first-half goals as they beat rivals Crystal Palace comfortably in the Premier League to heap pressure on Eagles boss Roy Hodgson.
Palace started poorly and went behind in the opening five minutes for the second successive game when Lewis Dunk rose highest to head in a corner from Pascal Gross.
Roberto de Zerbi's side dominated the ball throughout the first half and they doubled their lead in the 33rd minute when Jack Hinshelwood headed in Tariq Lamptey's cross at the back post.
It got worse for the visitors a minute later when deadline-day signing Adam Wharton was caught in possession, and Gross teed up Facundo Buonanotte to score easily from close range.
Palace scored a consolation when Jean-Philippe Mateta headed in Joachim Andersen's cross with 20 minutes to go before Joao Pedro restored the three-goal lead with an excellently worked goal late on.
- I have strength to turn Palace form around - Hodgson
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Hodgson's side failed to create many openings of note and Palace's supporters once again expressed their frustration with the club ownership and management with banners calling for change.
Brighton, who made five changes from the side who lost 4-0 to Luton in midweek, looked rejuvenated.
The intensity they showed on the pitch was matched by their manager, who picked up his third booking of the season while appealing against a decision, and so will have to watch their next game from the stands.
Defeat for Hodgson puts Palace's form back under the microscope. While they defeated Sheffield United last Tuesday, they have won just four of their past 17 league matches.
The Palace boss will point to the fact that he did not have his best players, with Eberechi Eze not fit enough to be in the squad and Michael Olise limping off just 11 minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute.
Brighton cruise to victory
Coming into this game, the Seagulls had only won three of their past 16 league matches.
However, they are in a much better place than their rivals - in touch with the Premier League's European qualification spots, still in the FA Cup, and in the Europa League last 16.
Their football is a joy to watch, with De Zerbi is able to get the best out of the players in his squad.
They have an excellent blend of experience and youth, with 18-year-old Hinshelwood and 19-year-old Buonanotte both scoring.
Brighton have a number of key players out injured but if they can get some of them back towards the end of the season, it could be an exciting time for the club.
Pressure continues to build on Hodgson
As far as Palace supporters are concerned, the manner of this heavy defeat against their biggest rivals puts Hodgson back under pressure.
The Eagles have won two of their past four Premier League games, but the two defeats in that sequence have been heavy - with a 5-0 loss at Arsenal before Brighton's convincing win.
Supporters had already made their feelings known about the club's leadership with a banner during the defeat at Arsenal and there was another display of discontent at Amex Stadium.
Without Eze, who scored twice against Sheffield United on Tuesday, and with Olise only able to feature briefly, Palace were toothless in attack.
Fan feeling is far from positive, and given their poor results over the past four months, some may ask if the club will feel it's time to make a change.
Player of the match
GilmourBilly Gilmour
Brighton & Hove Albion
Avg
- Squad number11Player nameGilmourAverage rating
7.90
- Squad number5Player nameDunkAverage rating
7.84
- Squad number30Player nameEstupiñánAverage rating
7.48
- Squad number41Player nameHinshelwoodAverage rating
7.45
- Squad number13Player nameGroĂźAverage rating
7.42
- Squad number28Player nameFergusonAverage rating
7.42
- Squad number9Player nameJoĂŁo PedroAverage rating
7.39
- Squad number18Player nameWelbeckAverage rating
7.34
- Squad number2Player nameLampteyAverage rating
7.32
- Squad number40Player nameBuonanotteAverage rating
7.18
- Squad number29Player namevan HeckeAverage rating
7.10
- Squad number14Player nameLallanaAverage rating
7.06
- Squad number20Player nameBalebaAverage rating
7.05
- Squad number3Player nameIgor JulioAverage rating
6.98
- Squad number31Player nameAnsu FatiAverage rating
6.97
- Squad number1Player nameVerbruggenAverage rating
6.61
Crystal Palace
Avg
- Squad number20Player nameA WhartonAverage rating
5.42
- Squad number11Player nameMatheus FrançaAverage rating
4.50
- Squad number14Player nameMatetaAverage rating
4.07
- Squad number7Player nameOliseAverage rating
4.00
- Squad number12Player nameMuñozAverage rating
3.93
- Squad number22Player nameÉdouardAverage rating
3.86
- Squad number16Player nameAndersenAverage rating
3.68
- Squad number9Player nameJ AyewAverage rating
3.67
- Squad number8Player nameLermaAverage rating
3.62
- Squad number3Player nameMitchellAverage rating
3.61
- Squad number6Player nameGuéhiAverage rating
3.60
- Squad number15Player nameSchluppAverage rating
3.51
- Squad number30Player nameHendersonAverage rating
3.48
- Squad number26Player nameRichardsAverage rating
3.44
- Squad number19Player nameHughesAverage rating
3.36
- Squad number29Player nameAhamadaAverage rating
3.36
Line-ups
Brighton
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Verbruggen
- 29van Hecke
- 5Dunk
- 3dos Santos de PauloSubstituted forAnsu Fatiat 88'minutes
- 41Hinshelwood
- 13GroĂź
- 11Gilmour
- 2LampteySubstituted forEstupiñánat 80'minutes
- 40BuonanotteSubstituted forBalebaat 79'minutes
- 9JoĂŁo PedroSubstituted forLallanaat 88'minutes
- 28FergusonSubstituted forWelbeckat 69'minutesBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 4Webster
- 14Lallana
- 15Moder
- 18Welbeck
- 20Baleba
- 23Steele
- 30Estupiñán
- 31Ansu Fati
- 47Baker-Boaitey
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-3-3
- 30Henderson
- 12MuñozBooked at 62mins
- 16Andersen
- 6GuéhiBooked at 16minsSubstituted forA Whartonat 28'minutes
- 3Mitchell
- 8Lerma
- 26Richards
- 19HughesSubstituted forAhamadaat 80'minutes
- 9J Ayew
- 14MatetaSubstituted forÉdouardat 80'minutes
- 15SchluppSubstituted forOliseat 45'minutesSubstituted forFrança de Oliveiraat 56'minutesBooked at 59mins
Substitutes
- 1Johnstone
- 5Tomkins
- 7Olise
- 11França de Oliveira
- 20A Wharton
- 22Édouard
- 29Ahamada
- 44Riedewald
- 52Ozoh
- Referee:
- Simon Hooper
- Attendance:
- 31,345
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home69%
- Away31%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away5
- Corners
- Home3
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 4, Crystal Palace 1.
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Joachim Andersen.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Pascal Groß (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Pervis Estupiñán with a cross.
Post update
Attempt saved. Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jefferson Lerma.
Post update
Foul by Adam Lallana (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Post update
Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Booking
Danny Welbeck (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Danny Welbeck (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Post update
Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Offside, Brighton and Hove Albion. Pervis Estupiñán is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt missed. Matheus França (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Jefferson Lerma.
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Adam Lallana replaces JoĂŁo Pedro.
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Ansu Fati replaces Igor Julio.
Goal!
Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 4, Crystal Palace 1. JoĂŁo Pedro (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Danny Welbeck with a through ball.
Post update
Attempt saved. Matheus França (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Odsonne Édouard.
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Naouirou Ahamada replaces Will Hughes.
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Odsonne Édouard replaces Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Pervis Estupiñán replaces Tariq Lamptey.
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Carlos Baleba replaces Facundo Buonanotte.
Comments
Join the conversation
They outclassed us in every department - and I’m struggling to think of anything positive to say about Palace.
Roy made so many errors, should never have risked Olise!
Long drive home to absorb everything that happened. Congratulations Brighton…I can only hope we will be on the same league to play you again next season.
Hodgson does need to go though.
No OLISE
No CHANCE
Palace were rubbish.
But well done BHA
I cannot understand why Johnstone has been dropped as he had been excellent since he came into the team a year ago.