LIVE: Brighton vs Crystal Palace – Jean-Philippe Mateta scores his first goal for the Eagles with a sublime backheel as Roy Hodgson’s side take the lead against their bitter rivals at the Amex Stadium
Despite being three points worse off than the visitors, Brighton come into this encounter in more buoyant mood as they look to extend their six-game unbeaten Premier League run, which has seen them win away at Leeds and Liverpool and at home to Tottenham.
Graham Potter’s men have picked up 16 out of 26 points away from home this season but, despite them collecting seven draws in 12 league games at the Amex, they haven’t lost any of their last four games beside the Seaside.
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is under more pressure than his opposite number meanwhile, having lost their last two games against bottom-half sides Leeds and Burnley by an aggregate scoreline of 5-0, with fans displaying a banner outside the team’s training ground attacking the team’s attitude.
Both those encounters saw them without talisman Wilfried Zaha after the 28-year-old came off in the 2-1 win over Newcastle with a hamstring injury and with the Ivorian missing tonight, the Eagles will need to look elsewhere for inspiration and try and improve their record of 18 losses in their last 20 top-flight games without their main man.
Follow Sportsmail’s Alex Bowmer for live EPL coverage of Brighton vs Crystal Palace, including scoreline, lineups and build-up.