Media review: Crystal Palace

Albion’s 4-1 victory over rivals Crystal Palace was not only a welcome win over the old enemy but also the best possible response to the midweek defeat by Luton Town. If there was not much cheer Sussex-based readers in the Wednesday papers, the Sundays more than made up for it.

Henry Clark summed up the Amex’s collective mixture of relief and delight in the Mail on Sunday, while also having a dig at some overreactions to the loss at Kenilworth Road.

“On Tuesday night Brighton were thumped 4-0 by Luton and some had quietly began to wonder whether Roberto De Zerbi’s magic was starting to wane a little,” he wrote. “Take this resounding result over Brighton’s arch rivals as proof those claims couldn’t be any more absurd.

“De Zerbi’s men found themselves 2-0 down inside three minutes on that chastening night at Kenilworth Road. Fast forward to Saturday and, perhaps still a little bruised from that experience, they were ahead just as quickly against Crystal Palace through captain Lewis Dunk.

“His side played like a team who understood the magnitude of a fixture laced with bitterness. They hassled and harried their opponents from the first minute and were rewarded with the biggest margin of victory in this fixture since 1956.

“As the inquest began from a Crystal Palace perspective, Brighton fans were left lapping up every second of a famous derby day victory.”

Most writers led their reports with Palace’s woes and the possible fates of their manager and owner but also found plenty to enjoy in Albion’s display, with more than one describing the fourth goal as ‘delicious’.

John Aizlewood in the Sunday Telegraph, for example, wrote that Albion were “wholly unrecognisable from Tuesday’s grisly midweek capitulation. The scoreline flattered Palace and, as they sloped off, the few fans who remained in the once-rammed away area made their feelings known with rather more vigour than their team had shown.

“Three-nil down at half-time at Luton on Tuesday, as if to show how directly fortunes had changed, [Brighton] were three up here, first when Pascal Gross lobbed in a corner and Lewis Dunk rose above concrete-booted Joachim Andersen to head home his first league goal since October.

“Brighton were wholly dominant, while Palace lacked rhythm and lustre. Their prospects of success were further diminished when Marc Guehi hobbled off before the half hour mark in favour of debutant Adam Wharton.

“Two goals in a traumatic minute sealed Palace’s fate. Lamptey crossed deep. Snoozing soundly, Tyrick Mitchell failed to notice Jack Hinshelwood lurking behind him and the tyro headed beyond Dean Henderson.

“From the kick off, Wharton tamely surrendered possession. Gross majestically danced through some feeble challenges and laid the ball off for Facundo Buonanotte, who guided number three into the corner and those ‘we want Hodgson out’ chants began.

“For all the high jinks, Brighton began to coast and when Mateta headed in Anderson’s cross there was a smidgen of hope for Palace. Indeed, they briefly pressed until Brighton roused themselves to inflict further humiliation when Joao Pedro’s delicious one-two with Welbeck ended with the Brazilian curling number four around Henderson.”

In The Observer, Ed Aarons reported that “Lewis Dunk, Jack Hinshelwood and Facundo Buonanotte rained goals down on Palace to record Brighton’s biggest win in this fixture since a 5-0 victory in January 1956 in Division Three South.

“De Zerbi’s response to the 4-0 thrashing at Luton was to make four changes, including a first start since the end of November for Tariq Lamptey. It was his first foray down the left flank that led to the corner from which Dunk was given the freedom to head home a pinpoint cross from Pascal Gross.

“Palace struggled against opponents who clearly had a point to prove after going three league games without scoring. Disaster struck for the visitors when Guéhi was forced off with a knee injury and within five minutes they found themselves three goals down.”

According to Isabelle Barker in The Sun on Sunday, “It was fitting that local lads, Dunk and Hinshelwood, with Brighton’s blue and white colours coursing through their veins, would hit the first two.

“Dunk headed the opener and this had all the hallmarks of a derby classic. The floodgates were opened and a passing sequence ended with Tariq Lamptey’s cross falling onto Hinshelwood’s noggin to coolly head home.

“Just after the restart, newbie Wharton was dispossessed allowing Gross to tee up 19-year-old Buonanotte who slotted in. It sparked bedlam at the Amex as the players celebrated with the boisterous home fans as De Zerbi and his coaching staff embraced in a group cuddle.

“There was a glimmer of hope for the visitors when Jean-Philippe Mateta sliced a header into the net after being teed up by Joachim Andersen on 71 minutes. But it was curtains when Joao Pedro lashed in his 19th goal of the season after a delicious link up with Danny Welbeck.”

In the Sunday Mirror, Ryan Taylor described a “merciless Brighton, who were in front inside three minutes when Dunk towered over Joachim Andersen to power home Pascal Gross' inviting corner.

“It was 2-0 in the 33rd minute when another local lad - Hinshelwood - leapt brilliantly at the back post to head Tariq Lamptey's cross past the helpless Dean Henderson. Still, Brighton had the grit between their teeth and they had a third less than 60 seconds later when Buonanotte finished a slick move with aplomb - sparking jubilant, celebratory scenes.

“Jean-Philippe Mateta did power home a header at the near post in the 71st minute following Andersen's cross to restore hope but Brighton would later kill the game on 84 minutes through top scorer Joao Pedro.

“He played a fine one-two with Danny Welbeck, whose cute flick was gratefully dispatched by the Brazilian. Remarkably, it could have been five deep into stoppage time when the ball just evaded Ansu Fati for a tap-in at the back post. Dismal Palace have now shipped nine goals in their past two away matches and have failed to win in their last six against Brighton.”