Crystal Palace vs Brighton Report
Scorers: Mateta 3’, Munoz 55’; Welbeck 31’
Red cards: Nketiah 78’, Guehi 90+1’; van Hecke 90+6’
Crystal Palace claimed a fiery M23 derby victory over rivals Brighton & Hove Albion at Selhurst Park, with early goals, late drama, and three red cards in a pulsating encounter.
A brilliant strike from Jean-Philippe Mateta and a deflected second-half winner from Daniel Muñoz secured the Eagles’ first-ever top-flight double over Brighton, as they held firm despite being reduced to nine men in a chaotic finale.
First Half: Mateta Off to a Flyer, Welbeck Responds
The match exploded into life inside five minutes when Eberechi Eze threaded a sublime through ball to Mateta, who thundered a left-footed strike into the top corner to hand Palace a dream start.
The Eagles nearly doubled their lead moments later when Eze’s curling effort was tipped wide by Bart Verbruggen, following a clever quick release from Dean Henderson.
Brighton soon grew into the game, with Carlos Baleba and Danny Welbeck both denied by an outstanding double-save from Henderson.
But the Palace keeper couldn’t stop Welbeck for long, as the veteran striker got the slightest of touches on Yankuba Minteh’s delivery, directing the ball into the far corner to level the match before the break.
Second Half: Muñoz Wins It, Then the Chaos Begins
After a slower start to the second half, the match sparked back into life on the hour mark. Daniel Muñoz, played in by Eze, collected the ball on the edge of the area and struck low past Verbruggen, the shot taking a slight deflection en route to goal.
It ended a run of five successive 1-1 draws between the sides at Selhurst Park, and restored Palace’s lead in a game that was heating up.
Brighton huffed and puffed after falling behind again, but failed to carve out any clear chances, even with Fabian Hürzeler making four quick substitutions to freshen up his side.
However, the dynamic shifted again when Eddie Nketiah, on as a substitute, was shown a second yellow card for a high boot that caught Jan Paul van Hecke in the head.
The drama intensified further when Marc Guéhi was also dismissed for a second bookable offence just before stoppage time was announced — 12 tense minutes for Palace to navigate with only nine men.
Yet, Brighton’s numerical advantage didn’t last long. Van Hecke, already on a yellow, was shown a second for a clumsy foul during the Seagulls’ desperate late push, reducing the visitors to ten men and relieving some of the pressure on Palace.
Key Stats
- Crystal Palace complete their first-ever Premier League double over Brighton
- Three red cards shown: Nketiah (second yellow), Guéhi (second yellow), Van Hecke (second yellow)
- Mateta has now scored 5 goals in his last 8 league appearances
- Welbeck’s goal was his third of the season
- Brighton’s winless run at Selhurst Park continues (no league win since 2019)
What It Means
- Crystal Palace climb further into mid-table and end any lingering concerns of being dragged into a relegation scrap.
- Brighton, still pushing for a European place, are left frustrated and now risk being overtaken by a pack of chasing clubs, with their away form becoming a concern.
- For manager Oliver Glasner, this marks a huge statement win in his early tenure, showing resilience, tactical discipline, and grit in adversity.
Looking Ahead
Palace face the final stretch of the season playing with confidence, and this victory may provide the spark to finish strongly under Glasner.
As for Brighton, Hürzeler will need to regroup quickly — especially with key suspensions now complicating squad selection ahead of their next fixtures.
A heated rivalry, a dramatic scoreline, and a memorable derby — this M23 clash delivered on all fronts.
For more info on this game’s outcome, you may also visit:
Crystal Palace v Brighton, 2024/25 | Premier League