The Top Flight
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Premier League: Crystal Palace versus Brighton Preview

By John Wozniak

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Wilfried Zaha of Crystal Palace is challenged by Solomon March of Brighton and Hove Albion during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace at American Express Community Stadium on December 4, 2018 in Brighton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: Wilfried Zaha of Crystal Palace is challenged by Solomon March of Brighton and Hove Albion during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace at American Express Community Stadium on December 4, 2018 in Brighton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) /
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The Premier League action gets underway on Saturday when Brighton and Hove Albion visit Crystal Palace. There’s no love lost between the two clubs, it’s a fixture that has the potential to be a bad-tempered affair. Brighton can expect a caustic reception at Selhurst Park.

Palace versus Brighton

Roy Hodgson will reach a milestone on Saturday when he takes charge of his 300th game in English football. Hodgson’s side is in much better form than their bitter rivals, having won four of their last six matches, including an impressive 4-1 away win at Leicester City.

Derby games mean so much to those involved. This is a fixture that has plenty of history dating back to the 1970s when both teams were in the old Third Division. During the 1976/77 season, the clubs met five times, twice in the league and three times in the FA Cup.

Palace managed by Terry Venables took four points in the league encounters, they also prevailed in the cup.  It was a period when FA Cup replays ran on until a team eventually won, imagine the complaints regarding such a format in the modern era.

The sides met in the 2013 Championship playoff semi-finals. Palace ran out victorious on that occasion, thanks to a brace from Wilfried Zaha. To add fuel to the fire, excrement was found in Crystal Palace dressing room prior to the play-off second leg at the Amex Stadium.

Brighton’s win against Huddersfield last weekend was vital. Chris Hughton’s side are five points above Cardiff City with nine games to play. It’s been a difficult season for Brighton, and their record at Selhurst Park is poor, the Seagulls have won once there in nine visits.

Three points separate Palace and Brighton, and Top Flight survival is the aim for both sides. A Brighton win would take them two points above Newcastle United in 14th place.  Defeat for the Seagulls will keep them in the thick of the relegation battle.

Brighton took the spoils in the reverse fixture with a 3-1 win, despite playing for over an hour with 10 men, after the referee showed Shane Duffy a straight red. Goals from Duffy, Leon Balogun and Florin Andone secured a valuable win for Hughton’s side.

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