Crystal Palace secured a dramatic victory over Brighton in a fiercely contested match at the Amex Stadium, with Ismaïla Sarr’s brilliance sealing the points and ending Brighton’s unbeaten home record this season. The game was not without controversy, as Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler was left fuming over a key decision by referee Michael Oliver that proved pivotal in the first half.
The match’s turning point came when Carlos Baleba was inadvertently impeded by Oliver during a Palace break. Despite Brighton’s protests, play continued, leading to a corner from which Trevoh Chalobah scored. Hürzeler was visibly incensed on the touchline, criticizing the referee’s decision not to stop play. While regulations state that officials only need to halt play if the ball strikes them, Hürzeler was adamant that the incident disrupted his team’s momentum.
Brighton began the game with intensity, driven forward by their passionate home crowd. Kaoru Mitoma tested Dean Henderson early with a sharp effort after a clever setup by João Pedro. Henderson, however, stood firm and later escaped punishment for a collision with Yankuba Minteh outside the box. Brighton’s aggressive pressing, led by the imposing Baleba, kept Palace pinned in their half for much of the opening exchanges.
However, Palace managed to capitalize on their first significant opportunity, thanks in part to Oliver’s inadvertent involvement. Eberechi Eze’s movement was initially stymied by Baleba, but the referee’s obstruction allowed the attack to continue, leading to Chalobah’s goal. The goal stunned the home crowd and gave Palace a foothold in the game.
Brighton struggled to regain composure, and Palace smelled blood. Tyrick Mitchell’s marauding run and pinpoint cross found Sarr at the back post, who headed home to double the visitors’ lead. Brighton’s frustrations mounted as their defensive lapses continued to undermine their efforts. Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made a crucial save to deny Daniel Muñoz and prevent further damage before halftime.
In response, Hürzeler made tactical changes at the break, introducing Julio Enciso and switching to a back three. Brighton showed renewed vigor, with Mitoma and Lewis Dunk both coming close to scoring. Henderson, however, was in inspired form, making a string of impressive saves, including a full-stretch effort to deny Enciso’s curling shot.
Brighton’s defensive frailties resurfaced when Pervis Estupiñán’s careless backpass nearly gifted Palace a third goal. Moments later, uncertainty from Estupiñán allowed Sarr to set up Muñoz for what seemed to be a decisive strike, but the referee ruled it out for a foul.
As the game entered its final stages, Brighton pushed hard to find a way back. Substitute Brajan Gruda came close with a dipping free-kick, but Palace’s defense held firm. A costly error by Dunk sealed Brighton’s fate, as Sarr pounced to score his second goal and ensure Palace claimed a famous victory.
The win lifts Palace to 15th in the table, continuing an impressive run of form under their manager, who has now overseen just one defeat in nine matches across all competitions. For Brighton, the defeat highlights their struggles against teams in the lower half of the table and their defensive vulnerabilities, having conceded 18 goals in their last nine matches.
Despite a late own goal by Marc Guéhi that denied Henderson a clean sheet, Palace’s jubilant traveling supporters celebrated a memorable triumph over their arch-rivals. It was a stark contrast to their heavy defeat at the Amex earlier in the year, signaling a significant turnaround for the team.
