Albion return to the Amex on Saturday to take on Crystal Palace in the Premier League, kick-off 3pm.
Team news
Roberto De Zerbi gave an update on James Milner, Joao Pedro, Ansu Fati and Joel Veltman in his press conference on Friday, as well as confirming that Pervis Estupinan is fit to face the Eagles.
"James Milner can’t play and I don’t know when he can play, but not for three, four games," De Zerbi explained. "Tomorrow we decide about Joao [Pedro].
"Ansu Fati can maybe come on the bench, I don’t know how much time he can play, tomorrow morning we can speak with the staff and make the right decision.
"Joel Veltman is still out. But I don’t know how many more days he needs, but he’s very close."
Player to watch
Midfielder Eberechi Eze has recently clocked up 100 top-flight appearances for Palace, having joined the club from QPR in 2020. Injury have restricted him to 16 league starts this season, but he has contributed five goals including two in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over Sheffield United.
Eze went off with 12 minutes to go against the Blades because of a tight hamstring but is expected to be fit to face Albion. He signed a new three-and-a-half year contract in November and made his first England senior start as a second-half substitute against Malta last summer.
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Stats and facts
- Having won this fixture 1-0 in March last season, Albion are looking to win consecutive home league games against Crystal Palace for the first time since a run of seven between 1979 and 1988.
- Crystal Palace have failed to win any of their last five Premier League games against Brighton since a 2-1 away win in February 2021 (D4 L1).
- The first Premier League meeting between Brighton and Crystal Palace finished 0-0, but since then both teams have scored in 10 of the 12 matches (1 clean sheet each). The Seagulls have scored exactly once in each of the last seven meetings and haven’t scored more than once in any of the last nine.
- Brighton are unbeaten in their last nine Premier League home games (W4 D5), since a 3-1 loss against West Ham in August. It’s their longest run without a home league defeat since a run of 14 between September 2016 and February 2017, and their longest ever such run in the top-flight.
- Albion had 42 shots without scoring in the Premier League in January, failing in all three matches. By comparison, they scored nine goals from just 24 shots in the FA Cup.
- Having both scored and conceded in 13 consecutive Premier League home games between May and December, Brighton’s last match at the Amex Stadium finished 0-0. They’ve never had consecutive goalless draws at the stadium, last doing so in back-to-back home league games at Withdean in February 2007.
- Crystal Palace have won two of their last three Premier League matches (L1), as many as in their previous 15 league games combined (D5 L8). They’ve netted three goals in both wins, having only scored three goals in one of their previous 23 league games, a 3-2 win over Wolves in September.
- Since a run of scoring in all but one of 35 Premier League matches between March and December 2023, Albion haven’t scored in all three games in 2024 so far. The last team to fail to score in their first four games in a calendar year were Leicester City in 2017.
- All three of Crystal Palace’s Premier League away wins this season have been to nil. The Eagles have only won one of their last 19 away league games when conceding (D5 L13), beating Leeds 5-1 in April 2023.
- Michael Olise has been directly involved in at least one goal in each of his last five Premier League appearances for Crystal Palace (5 goals, 3 assists). He could become the first Palace player to score or assist in six consecutive appearances in the competition should he do so in this match.
Match Officials
Referee: Simon Hooper
Assistants: Adrian Holmes and Simon Long
Fourth Official: James Bell
Video Assistant Referee: Craig Pawson