Brighton v Crystal Palace predictions: Rivals set for another tight encounter

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Brighton & Hove Albion v Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Friday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Premier League, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Draw
1pt 23-10 bet365, Betfred

Team news

Brighton
Yves Bissouma is in Cameroon. Enock Mwepu is expected to recover from a knock. Lewis Dunk is close to a return.

Crystal Palace
Wilf Zaha, Jordan Ayew and Cheikh Kouyate are Afcon absentees

Match preview

Brighton and Palace are proving tough to beat this term but are also finding wins hard to come by, and having already fought out a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park in September, it would surprise few if this was close.

These clubs have played out 17 draws between them this season, so the stalemate has to be a big runner at the Amex.

Albion are arguably in the better frame of mind heading into this always fiercely-fought affair – they took seven points out of nine over the holiday season to move back into the top half of the Premier League and silence the boo-boys who inexplicably seem to be able to find fault in anything the admirable Graham Potter does.

The Seagulls followed that with an FA Cup success at West Brom, a tricky challenge overcome but one that wasn't well rewarded. They were drawn to go to Tottenham in round four.

Palace, like Brighton, also overcame a potentially hazardous trip to Championship opposition last Saturday when they came from behind to pip Millwall 2-1 in an unpleasant affair.

In the absence of Wilf Zaha – who is still away, of course – Michael Olise stepped up and ran through his blossoming repertoire. The king is dead - for a month at least - long live the king.

With another attacking gem Ebe Eze fit – although he's not guaranteed a start – Patrick Vieira has plenty of cutting edge to summon either side of his number nine, and the Frenchman is spoiled for choice for that shirt as well. Or at least, he has plenty of options which isn't necessarily the same thing.

But Brighton will take some shifting. Only the top three have lost fewer games than Potter's troops – on the flip side only Wolves and Norwich have scored fewer goals on home soil.

Potter, like Vieira, has always had plenty of names in the frame for starting roles up front yet Albion continue to find it hard to put the ball in the net. They are brilliant to watch getting to the box, but panic seems to set in when they actually get in there.

And of course if you don't fancy a team to score many they aren't easy to like from a betting perspective, especially at relatively short odds.

Palace have failed to find the net in any of their last three away games, all losses, and have managed only nine goals on their travels. In contrast, they've bagged 20 in front of their own supporters.

They've also won only two of their last nine in the league and while clearly it's pleasing for Eagles fans to see Eze fit and Olise shining, they're going to miss Zaha.

This fixture is often spiky and nearly always close – expect no different this time.

Key stat

Palace are unbeaten in their last five matches against Brighton.

Inside info

Brighton

Penalty taker Neal Maupay/Leandro Trossard
Free-kick wizard Pascal Gross/Jakub Moder
Set-piece aerial threat Dan Burn/Lewis Dunk
Card magnet Shane Duffy/Neal Maupay

Crystal Palace

Penalty taker Luka Milivojevic/Odsonne Edouard
Free-kick wizardEberechi Eze
Set-piece aerial threatChristian Benteke/Joachim Andersen
Card magnetJoel Ward

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