Crystal Palace are gearing up for a considerably tougher challenge than the one they faced in midweek. Brighton currently occupy 8th place in the Premier League standings, while Crystal Palace sit 12th.
Crystal Palace
Their midweek fixture may have seemed straightforward on paper, but Crystal Palace narrowly avoided defeat at St Mary's, salvaging a draw with a stoppage-time equaliser in the 92nd minute. The goal came from Mateus Fransa, who had not played competitive football in over a year due to a rib injury. The Brazilian has finally returned to action and made an immediate contribution. Despite the frustration of dropping two points against the league’s bottom side, the squad remains in good form. Leading up to that match, they had secured three consecutive Premier League wins and claimed two comfortable victories in the FA Cup during March. Crystal Palace have now reached the semi-finals of the competition for the second time in four years.
Brighton & Hove Albion
That same weekend, Brighton also featured in the FA Cup quarter-finals but were eliminated on penalties by Nottingham Forest. The disappointment was compounded by a heavy home defeat (0:3) to Aston Villa. The visitors capitalised on counter-attacks, while the hosts were wasteful in front of goal. A potential equaliser from Simon Adingra was ruled out due to a handball by Kaoru Mitoma in the build-up. The gap between Brighton and the Champions League qualification spots continues to grow.
Crystal Palace vs Brighton & Hove Albion Prediction
The performance against Southampton looks more like an exception than a trend for Crystal Palace. This squad still presents a solid betting opportunity.
