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Crystal Palace host top-seven chasing Brighton at Selhurst Park in a festive M23 derby.
Victory would see Palace move up to 12th in the table, whilst Brighton can go seventh with a win.
Team News
Jordan Ayew is available for Palace after he was suspended for their 2-2 comeback draw at Manchester City.
Joel Ward however is sidelined after he suffered a hamstring injury in the draw against Man City.
Sam Johnstone (calf), Rob Holding (ankle), Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Jefferson Lerma (both hamstring), Odsonne Edouard (knee) and Cheick Docoure (Achilles) remain absent.
Brighton will be without Joel Veltman after he suffered a knee injury at Arsenal.
Tariq Lamptey, Pervis Estupinan, Ansu Fati (all muscle), Adam Webster (knock), Solly March and Julio Enciso (both knee) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Palace host Brighton at Selhurst Park on Thursday 21 December in a 8pm GMT kick-off, live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Crystal Palace have avoided defeat in six of their last seven league meetings against Brighton (W2, D5, L1).
- Brighton have avoided defeat in their last five league visits to Palace (W1, D4).
- Five of Palace’s six draws against Brighton in the Premier League have ended in a 1-1 result.
- All five of Jean-Philippe Mateta’s goals for Palace in all competitions this season have been scored in the second half.
- Brighton have lost all three visits to London-based clubs in all competitions this season (L3).
Prediction
Despite taking two points in their last six games, Palace certainly should be relieved by their gap to the relegation zone because it would of been a lot closer in other seasons, but they now could do with a win to start reigniting their momentum going into this festive run.
Palace fans though should be buoyed by how the team fought back resiliently to draw at Man City from two goals down, particularly because they just lacked much spark and quality for much of the game yet turned it around after poor marking of City’s two goals.
Brighton meanwhile were utterly outclassed by an energetic Arsenal team but fair play to their defence and goalkeeper – Bart Verbruggen whose efforts limited their losing margins, although this is a game where their attack must rediscover its spark given their goalscoring form.
Palace however aren’t an easy team to face despite their poor form and throw in the fact that this is a derby – despite not being in the same city – then there is pride at stake, but Brighton should have enough to get something here if can keep the hosts’ attack quiet.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton
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