Crystal Palace welcome bitter rivals in a nail-biting M23 derby at Selhurst Park in the Premier League tonight. Palace are struggling in front of goal while Brighton have a poor away record. Who will earn the bragging rights? Here’s the Big Game Focus. Bet on the game here.
Crystal Palace are having a decent season. However, Roy Hodgson’s side have the second-worst scoring record in the league, having scored just 14 goals, five more than bottom club Watford. The Eagles have three points more than their bitter rivals and will look to extend that gap tonight.
Brighton, on the other hand, are having a stop-start season. They’ve won three of their last five league matches. The Seagulls head into this derby with a poor away record although they won away from home in their last match. They’ve also beaten the hosts in three of the last four meetings. Can they do it tonight, again?
Betting preview
Crystal Palace have lost three of their eight home games this season, but all of these came against the current top three in the Premier League. Against sides in the bottom half of the table, they have won three of their four home matches. Brighton have only won three of their 17 Premier League away games since the start of 2019. You can back a Home Double Chance at odds of 1.41.
Eleven of the Eagles’ 16 Premier League games this season have seen two or fewer goals scored. Seven of their eight home games in the league have seen Under 2.5 Goals. Therefore, you can back Under 2.5 Goals in this game at odds of 1.60.
At least one team has scored in 11 of Palace’s 16 league games this season. Hodgson’s men have also conceded just 18 goals this season, meaning they have the fourth-best defence in the league. Crystal Palace have kept a clean sheet in all four home games against bottom-half clubs this season. For that reason, you can back Both Teams to Score No at odds of 1.92.
Team news
Crystal Palace are without injured full-backs Jeffrey Schlupp, Patrick van Aanholt and Joel Ward. Defender Mamadou Sakho is suspended. Jairo Riedewald is expected to start in the Premier League for the first time since February 2018.
Brighton midfielder Dale Stephens serves a one-match ban for accumulating five yellow cards. Aaron Connolly’s fitness is being monitored but Solly March and Jose Izquierdo remain out.
Possible line-ups
Crystal Palace: Guaita, Kelly, Tomkins, Cahill, Riedewald, McArthur, Milivojevic, Kouyate, Townsend, Ayew, Zaha
Brighton: Ryan, Montoya, Webster, Dunk, Burn, Mooy, Propper, Gross, Alzate, Maupay, Trossard.