BRIGHTON VS CRYSTAL PALACE: PREVIEW
- Bobby Vincent
- Dec 3, 2018
- 2 min read
TEAM NEWS
Brighton defender Bruno is fit to face Palace despite the Spanish full-back limping off in their win at Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh is still out for the Seagulls with a hamstring injury, whilst Dale Stephens will miss his last game of a three-match ban.
There are no fresh injury concerns for the away side for Tuesday night's clash with Brighton - but Christian Benteke is still sidelined with a knee injury.
THE MANAGERS
Brighton manager Chris Hughton has called for his players to keep a "cool head" in what can be an emotional game.
"We know what this game means to the supporters, both sets of supporters.
"You want part of those emotions anyway, you want a team that's fired up you want a team that knows what this particular game means.
"But once that game starts you have to treat it as a normal game. If you are too emotional in a game, the last thing you want is something like we have had in our last three games, when either us or the opposition finish the game with 10 men after a sending off.
"We have to be smart about it and go about our business the right way take into consideration the emotions, the fight, the passions that come with this type of game, but we have to play sensibly."
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson was asked whether their 2-0 win against Burnley on Saturday would help them, confidence-wise, going into the Brighton match:
"Not really, because Brighton have just come off the back of a strong team performance and a great win away from home.
"So it will be two teams coming together happy with the fact they have got three points from the Saturday game, and working very hard to show their fans in an important derby game that they deserved those three points and that now they will be up to get the next ones."
MATCH STATS
Crystal Palace's 3-2 win in April was their first victory against their rivals in six top-flight league games.
Brighton have lost only one game out of their last nine at home in the Premier League (W4, D4).
The Seagulls have netted in each of their last seven Premier League games - a club record scoring streak.
Wilfried Zaha has failed to find the net in his last eight Premier League games, but he has five in eight games against Tuesday's opposition.
Crystal Palace could equal a club Premier League record of three consecutive clean sheets - last time this was achieved was in March of last year.
BETTING ODDS
Brighton and Hove Albion: 15/8
Draw: 21/10
Crystal Palace: 9/5
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