Crystal Palace travel to rivals Brighton and Hove Albion’s Amex Stadium for Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off, but this iteration of the M23 derby has more at stake than just bragging rights. The two sides are embroiled in a relegation battle with both of their Premier League status’ still hanging in the balance.
The Eagles had been on a wretched run of form, winless in seven matches, before beating Newcastle United last weekend and securing a victory over their rivals would all but guarantee an eighth consecutive season in the top-flight. A win would leave Crystal Palace on 36 points, the total Brighton stayed up with last season, and take the pressure off the side after a disastrous run of recent results.
Considering the investment in the first team this season has been a minuscule £7.11m, survival would represent a fantastic achievement for Roy Hodgson’s side. As for Brighton, they have invested £69.35m in their squad this season and are two places and five points below the Eagles in 15th. There is only a four-point gap to the drop for Graham Potter’s side and a loss to their bitter rivals would leave the Seagulls in heaps of trouble with ten games remaining. However, a victory for the south coast side would see them close in on Saturday’s opponents and distance themselves from the drop.
Having invested heavily in the summer, the looming threat of relegation will be a significant concern to Brighton. They have drawn the second-most games in the Premier League this season (ten), and that was the result when these two sides met previously. Wilfred Zaha got Palace out of trouble scoring an equaliser late on after the Seagulls dominated possession, retaining 66 percent possession and opening the scoring.
The next iteration of this Premier League rivalry is one of the most important yet. With the timing of the game and the trajectory both sides are heading towards, the match genuinely could have season-defining consequences. Palace, in particular, have been presented with a glorious opportunity to virtually secure top-flight football at the potential cost of their rivals’ status.
