Crystal Palace swooped into the Amex to claim bragging rights and their first win in seven league matches over derby rivals Brighton and Hove Albion, with Ismaila Sarr scoring twice.
“It takes just time for him to get fit, to understand more how we want to play, where he can use and show his strengths and he gets more used to this and so today he got the reward with the two goals…it was a good performance,” Palace manger Oliver Glasner said about Sarr in his post match press conference.
Brighton had some good early spells in possession but it was the Eagles who drew first blood in the 27th minute as Trevoh Chalobah smashed the ball in from close range after the Albion failed to fully clear a corner.
Embed from Getty ImagesSarr’s header only six minutes later doubled the lead for the South Londoners after he got on the end of a great cross from Tyrick Mitchell, only a few moments after Yasin Ayari had a chance to equalise for the Seagulls.
Palace finished off the game and made it 3-0 in the 82nd minute when substitute Eddie Nketiah headed a long ball forward that was then pounced on by Sarr, who calmly slotted in his second goal.
During the post match press conference, Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler said: “In general of course, the most important (thing) is to not concede a goal and in all these games we concede the goals and we concede the goals too easy and I think that we have to work on it.”
Hurzeler’s men had an early chance in the game to score first through Kaoru Mitoma but his shot was saved by Eagles goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe home side had an even stronger start to the second half as they tried to get back in the game, with a free header from Lewis Dunk and a shot from halftime substitute Julio Enciso forcing Henderson to make good saves.
With the Albion piling on the pressure, Glasner brought in fresh legs at the hour mark in Nketiah and Japanese international Daichi Kamada and his team even appeared to go ahead 3-0 soon after however Daniel Munoz’s would be goal was ruled out for a foul committed by Sarr in the lead up.
Despite a late consolation for the Seagulls through a Marc Guehi own goal, Palace ultimately secured the win which moved them up to 15th place and four points clear of the relegation zone.
Embed from Getty ImagesGlasner is hoping his side aren’t tempted to rest on their laurels as they prepare to face Arsenal twice in the next six days, in the League Cup and in the Premier League.
“It’s nothing to be satisfied with,” he said.
“So still a lot to do. Still (have) to get more wins, still to perform better.”
For Brighton, their first defeat to their derby foes since February 2021 drops them to ninth in the league with a trip to West Ham on Saturday up next for the Sussex outfit.
