Crystal Palace vs Brighton LIVE! Premier League result, match stream and latest updates today

Crystal Palace vs Brighton - LIVE!

Getting closer but still not getting over the line, Crystal Palace led for most of the second half here at Selhurst Park but rivals Brighton struck late to keep the Eagles winless in a month and a half. Jordan Ayew’s first-half tap-in looked to have lowered the stress levels of those of a Palace persuasion inside Selhurst Park — not least manager Roy Hodgson — until Danny Welbeck’s stunning header earned Brighton a 1-1 draw. Palace stay 15th in the Premier League, nine points above the drop zone but not free of it.

Verbruggen’s clearance only as travelled as far as Olise, who played a one-two with Will Hughes and then crossed right onto the head of Ayew. The Ghana forward had the simplest task, and duly nodded home to send the Palace supporters into pre-half-time pandemonium. This was the first time the Eagles had scored a first-half goal since November 11.

Hodgson and Joachim Andersen applauded Palace’s home supporters as they headed down the tunnel, but they were fully aware that they were still 45 minutes from registering their first home win since September 3 against Wolves. That wait goes on, after Welbeck's looping header found the top corner with ten minutes remaining.

Crystal Palace vs Brighton latest news

• GOAL! Welbeck equalises for Brighton

• GOAL! Ayew opens scoring before half-time

FT: Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton

21:55 , Matt Verri

And that is that.

Once again in this fixture, it finishes 1-1.

Brighton the better side, but Palace just about hang on to earn a point.

Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton

21:52 , Matt Verri

90+3 mins: Mateta wins a couple of throw-ins for Palace, getting them up the pitch at least.

Ball then played towards Olise, but Dunks is across to head it back to his goalkeeper.

Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton

21:50 , Matt Verri

90+1 mins: Five minutes added on.

It's been a long time since Palace left their own half - they'd take a point.

Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton

21:48 , Matt Verri

89 mins: Inches away!

Henderson flies off his line to claim a ball over the top, throws himself at it and punches it straight into Welbeck.

Bounces off the striker and rolls just wide of the empty net. Henderson now booked for taking too long over the goal-kick.

Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton

21:46 , Matt Verri

87 mins: That's an awful decision from the referee.

Guehi tries to let the ball roll out for a goal-kick, it doesn't have enough pace on it though... so he just flops to the floor.

Whistle goes, referee has fallen for it. Free-kick for nothing.

Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton

21:44 , Matt Verri

85 mins: Palace haven't changed their approach since the goal.

Still sitting back, it's Brighton who continue to push and look the more likely to snatch a winner.

Ozoh now shown a yellow card for a late challenge.

Dom Smith at Selhurst Park

21:42 , Matt Verri

Nightmare for Palace, with Henderson beaten by a simply stunning looping header by substitute Danny Welbeck.

This phrase is said too often, but I don’t think that could have landed more perfectly in the top corner. What a goal.

Palace must retake the lead if they are to end their winless run.

GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton | Danny Welbeck 82'

21:41 , Matt Verri

It's level!

Gross with a lovely ball into the box, and it's a brilliant header from Welbeck that loops into the top corner.

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:40 , Matt Verri

81 mins: Mitoma hobbling after going down in the box - Palace not impressed with his appeals. Did look a bit of a dive.

He's still not moving well when Gross clips the ball to him, but Mitoma gets the volley away regardless. Straight at Henderson.

Dom Smith at Selhurst Park

21:39 , Matt Verri

Shots by Eze and Mateta showing Brighton that Palace may be seeking to preserve what they have, but they retain a threat on the breakaway.

Final 10 minutes now. Palace’s first win since November 4 is getting closer.

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:38 , Matt Verri

79 mins: Two more efforts from Palace, as Eze and Mateta try their luck within a minute of each other.

Both shots sent well over the bar, but it's a better spell from Palace.

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:37 , Matt Verri

78 mins: Palace should double their lead!

Lovely turn into space from Mateta, and he slides the ball out to Eze on the left.

Only the goalkeeper to beat, but takes too long to get the shot away and Van Hecke comes flying in to block.

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:35 , Matt Verri

76 mins: Mateta and Olise just trying to keep the ball in the corner.

Palace have gone quite early with that - still the best part of 20 minutes to play.

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:33 , Matt Verri

74 mins: Palace doing a better job in the last few minutes of getting a bit more control.

Hasn't been entirely one-way traffic, but it is still Brighton pushing as you'd expect.

Buonanotte in the box, swings at the ball but can't make clean contact.

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:29 , Matt Verri

70 mins: Hodgson turns to his bench again.

Eze is on for the hosts, home fans delighted with that. Ayew the man he is replacing.

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:28 , Matt Verri

69 mins: Dear me, Henderson has about seven attempts at claiming the ball in the box... spills it each time.

Brighton can't scramble it into the empty net though, Palace hack the ball away.

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:26 , Matt Verri

67 mins: Gross sends in a brilliant ball across the face of goal, Hinshelwood free at the back post but he blazes a shot over the bar.

Palace surely can't survive another 25 minutes or so like this...

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:24 , Matt Verri

65 mins: Ball falls for Gilmour after a blocked shot, he fires an effort at goal of his own. Henderson parries it away to safety.

Palace have everyone back near enough on the edge of their own area. Long old time to defend like that.

Dom Smith at Selhurst Park

21:23 , Matt Verri

Brighton beginning to assert just a little more pressure on Palace, who are by no means settling for holding on to their lead but are naturally retreating ever so slightly.

The onus is on Richards, Lerma and Ozoh in midfield to keep pressurising Brighton and give them no time to pick out that killer pass.

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:19 , Matt Verri

60 mins: First Palace change of the night.

Ozoh is on for Hughes - no sign of Eze being introduced yet.

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:17 , Matt Verri

58 mins: Cards everywhere you look now.

Olise charges up the right wing, releasing some of the pressure that Palace have been under. Skips past Igor, gets dragged back and that's a yellow card.

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:15 , Matt Verri

56 mins: Hinshelwood going mad, he's screaming for a penalty. Was in behind, went to get a shot away and trips over. Did Ayew clip him from behind?

VAR not interested - probably because Hinshelwood just kicked the ground. Good effort appealing for that.

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:14 , Matt Verri

54 mins: Buonanotte runs through the Palace midfield, it's a combination of Richards and Mitchell that hacks him down.

Referee opts to show the yellow card to Mitchell.

From the free-kick, Dunk has a real chance with a header... wide of the far post. Should probably have scored.

Dom Smith at Selhurst Park

21:10 , Matt Verri

Big calls for a penalty from Palace fans and it did look like more than handsy defending from Gross, who locked Will Hughes’s arms behind him and prevented the midfielder from reaching the ball.

Referee John Brooks less than interested

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:10 , Matt Verri

51 mins: This half already shaping up to be a much better watch.

Hughes into the book for a trip on Gross, Brighton win a corner after that free-kick is cleared.

Welbeck gets up well at the near post, decent contact on the header but it's blocked.

Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

21:07 , Matt Verri

48 mins: Bright start to the half from Palace, nice move wins them a corner.

Ball is put in right on top of Verbruggen, he flaps at it but the flag is up for offside.

Back underway!

21:04 , Matt Verri

Up and running for the second-half.

Welbeck and Buonanotte on for Brighton, Adingra and Baleba making way.

Dom Smith at Selhurst Park

20:58 , Matt Verri

Just as the clock strikes past 45 minutes, Palace score a goal that takes them into the interval 1-0 up.

Jordan Ayew with the close-range header from Michael Olise’s cross, following an error by goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen who produced a poor clearance straight to Olise.

Huge goal, Selhurst Park bouncing into the break. 

How Palace took the lead

20:53 , Matt Verri

Not great from Brighton as they play out from the back, to put it mildly...

HT: Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton

20:49 , Matt Verri

And that is half-time.

Not a half that deserved a goal to be honest, but Palace have a narrow lead at the break.

That's woken the home fans up again!

GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-0 Brighton | Jordan Ayew 45'

20:46 , Matt Verri

Out of nowhere! Palace have the lead before half-time.

Verbruggen gives the ball away, Olise picks out Ayew and he heads home at the back post!

Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

20:44 , Matt Verri

43 mins: Isn't much pace in the game, all very calm.

Lots of passing from Brighton, the occasional break from Palace. No real intensity though.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

20:41 , Matt Verri

39 mins: Gilmour loses the ball in midfield, Olise leads the Palace counter.

Drives up the pitch, could go for goal but picks out Lerma instead. Played across the face of goal, Mateta can't make up the ground.

Dom Smith at Selhurst Park

20:37 , Matt Verri

Palace ramping up the pressure now. Olise slams the ball against a sea of bodies.

Roy Hodgson’s side pushing for the lead heading into the final 10 minutes of the first-half here, although they haven’t scored a goal in the first half of a match since November 11.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

20:36 , Matt Verri

35 mins: Palace definitely growing into his now.

Olise slides the pass through to Mateta in the box, his shot is blocked. Striker then robs Dunk of the ball, fires it into the area and Brighton scramble it away.

Eagles on top all of a sudden.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

20:33 , Matt Verri

32 mins: Baleba bundles into Hughes on the edge of the area, earns himself a yellow card. Another entirely avoidable one.

Good position this for Palace, Olise standing over it on the left of the box.

Whipped in with pace, Brighton deal with it well.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

20:30 , Matt Verri

29 mins: Mateta with a needless foul in the middle of the pitch, pokes the ball away as the whistle goes and that will be a yellow card.

Madness from the striker.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

20:28 , Matt Verri

27 mins: Something has happened!

Ball played into Mateta, who is allowed to control it and turn. Space opens up for him, 25 yards out. He fires straight at Verbruggen.

Dom Smith at Selhurst Park

20:27 , Matt Verri

It doesn’t take a genius to see that Michael Olise is one of the most talented players on this pitch for either team.

Some of his touches, his low centre of gravity, and his perennial appetite to beat players are a joy to watch.

Out for four months with a serious hamstring injury, but back now and getting back to his best.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

20:25 , Matt Verri

23 mins: Rare chance for Palace to counter, as Mateta plays it wide to Olise.

Numbers not exactly flying up the pitch, so Olise has to go it himself. Cuts inside in the box, onto his left foot and the shot is blocked.

Dom Smith at Selhurst Park

20:21 , Matt Verri

Top save from Henderson there to deny Adingra’s fierce effort.

The first chance of a match which, it’s fair to say, is yet to get going.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

20:20 , Matt Verri

19 mins: It's one-way traffic at the minute.

Igor's pass forward falls perfectly for Adingra, who forces Henderson into a relatively comfortable save.

Rebound out to Gross, he can't get a shot away but Baleba does. Sliced well wide.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

20:18 , Matt Verri

17 mins: Mitoma seeing more and more of the ball. Superb pass finds Gross, but he has to turn all the way back having briefly been free by the byline.

Palace being pinned back a bit now - they don't look too fussed about it though.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

20:14 , Matt Verri

13 mins: Brilliant pass from Lerma, Brighton cut open and Olise is in down the right.

He's got Mateta to pick out in the middle, but the winger fires the ball in behind the striker. Ayew can't mop it up, the chance goes.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

20:12 , Matt Verri

10 mins: First opportunity Olise has had to do anything, and it's a lovely flick.

Ball fizzed into him, he knocks the ball past Baleba and is duly dragged back. Palace, obviously, need to get him involved.

Dom Smith at Selhurst Park

20:09 , Matt Verri

Palace fans have got used to Chris Richards playing in midfield in recent weeks due to their injury woes, but another centre-back, Marc Guehi, is regularly switching with him and taking up that position in the early knockings of the game.

Palace the more composed on the ball so far.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

20:08 , Matt Verri

7 mins: Hasn't exactly been a thrilling start to this match. Nothing has really happened.

Ayew catches Baleba, that will be the first free-kick of the match. All been very tame for a 'derby'.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

20:06 , Matt Verri

4 mins: Brighton camped on the edge of the Palace box.

Gross eventually tries his luck, drags the shot well wide. Appeals for a corner are waved away.

Crystal Palace 0-0 Brighton

20:03 , Matt Verri

2 mins: Palace looking to push up the pitch out of possession, which will please their fans.

Probably please Brighton too though, who will back themselves to play through the Eagles.

They nearly do just that, Gross makes a great run through the middle of Palace's defence. Pedro can't find him.

KICK-OFF!

20:01 , Matt Verri

Up and running at Selhurst Park!

Here we go!

19:58 , Matt Verri

Teams are out onto the pitch in south London.

Home fans right up for it, as you'd expect. Time to find out if the Palace players can keep it that way.

Dom Smith at Selhurst Park

19:57 , Matt Verri

Absolutely hideous remix of Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’ on the loudspeaker right now. It’s a dreadful Christmas song at the best of times.

But these are the worst of times, considering what they’ve done to it…

Palace not looking down... yet

19:51 , Matt Verri

Victory tonight for Palace would, for the time being at least, lift them up to 12th in the table - that's where they seem to have always been in recent years.

Defeat though and they will stay eight points clear of the relegation zone, though Luton will have two games in hand.

Not long now!

19:44 , Matt Verri

Warm-ups continuing at Selhurst Park, with kick-off fast approaching.

We'll be up and running in just over 15 minutes' time - big, big night for both sides.

Nothing like three points in a derby as a nice Christmas present...

Pre-match thoughts from Gilmour

19:37 , Matt Verri

The Brighton midfielder has been speaking to Sky Sports ahead of kick-off.

Hodgson: Palace players know how big this is

19:30 , Matt Verri

It is a derby clash tonight, even if the two clubs are not particularly close geographically.

Even Roy Hodgson has had to adapt to Brighton being true rivals.

“Well, funnily enough, it didn't exist in the time when I was a true fan or supporter of the club as a boy really, or a very young man – it’s only just come about in relatively recent years," the Palace boss explained in his pre-match press conference.

“But we embrace it, we understand it and we accept how important it is, and we take on the extra responsibility that the fixture against Brighton always brings.

"The players are very much aware, even the ones who have come into the club at a later date, everyone knows that this is a big game, Crystal Palace v Brighton, and it is one where we've got to really step up and make certain that we give our best performance.”

Dom Smith at Selhurst Park

19:25 , Matt Verri

Crystal Palace not exactly in great form...

Olise to take Zaha mantle?

19:17 , Matt Verri

At Selhurst Park tonight, Crystal Palace face their fiercest rivals Brighton for the first time since the departure of Wilfried Zaha.

This was a fixture in which Zaha more often than not delivered for Palace, scoring eight goals in 15 games against their rivals as the talisman of the team.

The Eagles need someone new to take this match by the scruff of the neck — and Palace boss Roy Hodgson may only need to look back to last weekend for inspiration.

Michael Olise was calmness personified as he slotted a 95th-minute penalty past Ederson to earn Palace a point against Manchester City at the Etihad — and the winger has been slowly working his way back to his dazzling best in recent weeks, after an injury-disrupted start to the season.

Click here for our full preview!

Dom Smith at Selhurst Park

19:09 , Matt Verri

Good news for Palace as Jefferson Lerma returns to the starting lineup following his hamstring tightness.

He joins Chris Richards and Will Hughes in a midfield clearly intent on stopping Brighton’s creative players at source.

Eberechi Eze is not being rushed back from his injury and, after a stoppage-time cameo as a substitute against Manchester City on Saturday, he starts on the bench again.

Brighton team news

19:04 , Matt Verri

Starting XI: Verbruggen, Hinshelwood, Van Hecke, Dunk, Igor,Baleba, Gilmour, Adingra, Gross, Mitoma, Pedro.

Subs: Milner, Dahoud, Lallana, Moder, Welbeck, Steele, Ferguson, Buonanotte, Kavanagh.

Crystal Palace team news

19:01 , Matt Verri

Starting XI: Henderson, Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell, Lerma, Richards, Hughes, Olise, Mateta, Ayew

Subs: Tomkins, Eze, Matheus Franca, Schlupp, Ebiowei, Ahamada, Matthews, Riedewald, Ozoh

Stand by...

18:55 , Matt Verri

All the team news from Selhurst Park coming up in the next few minutes.

Focus for Palace fans will be on whether Eze is in that starting lineup - we're about to find out!

Brighton in the building!

18:45 , Matt Verri

The Seagulls have arrived in south London...

Goals on the cards?

18:36 , Matt Verri

Brighton won the last match between these two sides 1-0, with the three games before that all 1-1.

It's so often very tight - but Brighton have not kept a single clean sheet in the Premier League this season.

Only the three clubs in the relegation zone have conceded more goals than them, so don't rule out goals.

Battle on for Ekwah

18:21 , Matt Verri

Crystal Palace and Fulham are interested in a January move for Sunderland midfielder Pierre Ekwah.

The 21-year-old Frenchman left the West Ham academy to sign a four-and-a-half-year deal with Sunderland in January, and has since made 35 appearances for the Championship club.

Ekwah, a box-to-box midfielder, was at Chelsea’s academy between 2018 and 2021, and is also attracting interest from Nottingham Forest.

Both Fulham and Palace have marked central midfield as a priority position ahead of the January transfer window.

Despite Joao Palhinha signing a new contract in September, Fulham are resigned to the fact the highly sought-after Portuguese international may soon move on.

Meanwhile, Palace are without the injured Cheick Doucoure for the rest of the season and further injuries have seen centre-back Chris Richards deployed in central midfield.

Stage is set!

18:08 , Matt Verri

Should be a brilliant atmosphere in south London tonight.

Standard Sport prediction

17:59 , Matt Verri

Brighton are favourites for the bookies despite their inconsistent form and a less-than-impressive record in his modern derby.

These games are rarely goalfests and Crystal Palace will fancy their chances against anyone under the Selhurst Park lights, but we're plumping for a stalemate.

Draw, 1-1.

Brighton team news

17:51 , Matt Verri

Brighton were boosted by the returns of both Joao Pedro and Danny Welbeck from injury last time out.

Joel Veltman though is set to miss up to two months of action after picking up a knee injury against Arsenal.

Crystal Palace team news

17:43 , Matt Verri

Crystal Palace will be without Joel Ward when they host Brighton tonight, after the right-back picked up a hamstring injury.

Ward was substituted in the 34th minute as Palace drew 2-2 away to Manchester City, and he now joins a long list of players who are currently out of action.

Manager Roy Hodgson already has to contend with injuries to Cheick Doucoure, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, Rob Holding, Sam Johnstone and Odsonne Edouard, but Eberechi Eze is fit again.

Speaking on Wednesday, Hodgson said: “Eberechi Eze is coming on very well, too. He’s on the cusp really. That’s the decision we have to make: whether to start him or to try and protect him a little bit on the bench."

Predicted Crystal Palace XI (4-2-3-1): Henderson; Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Richards, Schlupp; Olise, Eze, Ayew; Mateta

How to watch Crystal Palace vs Brighton

17:36 , Matt Verri

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League, with coverage beginning at 7pm GMT for an 8pm kick-off.

Live stream: Subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.

Live blog: You can follow all the action right here, with expert analysis from Dom Smith at the ground.

Good evening!

17:30 , Matt Verri

Hello and welcome to Standard Sport's LIVE coverage of Crystal Palace vs Brighton!

It's the final set of Premier League fixtures before Christmas and it kicks off tonight with a derby at Selhurst Park, a fixture that has produced plenty of draws in recent seasons.

We'll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news ahead of kick-off, which comes at 8pm GMT from Selhurst Park.