Brighton v Crystal Palace: Preview, predicted line-ups & team news

Brighton have turned the Amex into a place opponents dread. Arsenal were beaten 3-0 here on 19 September and another side were thrashed 4-0 on 23 August.

The hosts are third in the Premier League with 13 points from six games and a goal difference of +13. They head into this one on the back of a 2-0 win at Sunderland on 10 October.

Crystal Palace visit with a very different mood. They beat Nottingham Forest 3-1 at Selhurst Park last Sunday, but that was only their second league win of the season.

Brighton have won four of their six league games, drawing one and losing one. The only defeat was a 4-3 loss at Chelsea on 30 August, and the draw was 1-1 with Leeds at home on 5 September.

They have failed to score in none of their six games. They average 3.0 goals a game, 3.3 on the road and 2.7 at home, and their expected goals figure of 2.15 per game says the numbers are no fluke.

At the back they have conceded five times, and only one of those came at the Amex. Four of the five came inside the first 15 minutes or after the hour, so Palace's best hope is an early goal.

Palace have two wins, one draw and three defeats from six, which is seven points. They have scored nine and conceded 12.

Their home record is the worry. They have lost twice at Selhurst Park, 4-1 to Manchester City and 3-2 to Ipswich, and have conceded 2.7 goals a game there. Away from home they have been steadier, with one win, one draw and one defeat, and a goalless draw at Leeds on 20 September.

Palace are failing to score in two of six games and average just 11 shots a match. They are not going to out-possess anyone, with 43% of the ball on average.

Brighton's last six league games read four wins, one draw and one defeat. Their three most recent results were 2-0 at Sunderland, 3-0 against Arsenal and 5-0 at Coventry. Palace's read two wins, one draw and three defeats, with nine goals scored and 12 conceded. Brighton's lead is clear, but the shape of Palace's form matters too. Their wins came against Forest and Fulham, and in those two games they scored six. Their four non-wins brought just three goals between them. If they score first they can make this awkward, but their expected goals against figure of 2.13 per game suggests the defence is still leaking.

Brighton are third on 13 points from six games, level on points with Chelsea in fourth, who have played seven. Arsenal are second on 15 points from six, so a win would close the gap on them to two points. Manchester City lead the table with 21 points from seven.

The visitors have played six and have seven points. A defeat would leave them closer to the bottom end of the table than the top half, while a win would lift them to ten. For Brighton, three points would keep the pressure on Arsenal and give them a cushion over Chelsea, whose form reads a defeat and a draw in their last five.

The last 10 meetings are evenly split. Palace have won three, Brighton two and five have been drawn, at an average of 2.2 goals per game. Both teams scored in seven of those 10 (70%), and just three went over 2.5 goals (30%).

The last meeting was at the Amex on 8 February 2026, when Palace won 1-0. Before that the sides drew 0-0 at Selhurst Park on 9 November 2025.

The rivalry has been tight, but this is a different Brighton. They are averaging 3.0 goals a game, well above the 2.2 in the H2H, and only two of their six league games have seen both teams score. That makes the historical BTTS rate a poor guide. The low-scoring H2H points to Palace sitting in, but the scoreline lean is a home win by a couple of goals rather than a tight 1-0.

The biggest gap is in the final third. Brighton average 18 shots a game with 5.5 on target. Palace manage 11 and 4.17. Brighton's goals average of 3.0 is double Palace's 1.5.

The second gap is possession, 60.2% against 43%. Palace will spend long periods without the ball, and the corner counts back that up: Brighton earn 5.33 a game to Palace's 2.83, and Palace concede 5.33 on average. Expect sustained home pressure and plenty of set pieces.

The third is at the back, where Brighton concede 0.83 per game and Palace 2.0. Palace's only route is a quick start, as Brighton have conceded four of their five goals either before the 15th minute or after the hour.

The game kicks off at 14:00 BST on Sunday 18 October at the Amex Stadium. A UK broadcaster has not been confirmed for this fixture yet, and this page will be updated closer to kick-off once the channel is verified.

The value sits in the home side's dominance rather than in goals alone. Brighton's scoring rate of 3.0 a game and Palace's 2.0 conceded make a comfortable home win the main play, and the anytime goalscorer leg gives a bigger price to the builder. The H2H leans towards BTTS, but current form points the other way.