The best Premier League bet of the day is our Crystal Palace v Brighton prediction for this Thursday night, December 21, 2023. Palace shocked the football world with a sensational comeback performance against Manchester City over the weekend as they snatched a point after failing behind by two goals. Make no mistake, this was the most impressive performance we’ve seen from the Londoners all year, because a lot of teams fold when they go behind against City, especially at the Etihad stadium. Thus, it will be interesting to see how they follow things up. Will Palace keep the momentum going with a win against Brighton, or will they quickly go back to their mid-table ways and fall to the Seagulls?
Crystal Palace V Brighton By the Numbers
Here are some interesting stats concerning this Premier League betting pick and Palace v Brighton prediction in particular.
- Palace have not won at home in the Premier League since September 3, 2023.
- Palace have won just one of their last 10 PL matches.
- Brighton are without a clean sheet in their last 21 Premier League matches.
- The most common result between these two teams has been 1:1. Five out of the last ten games between Palace and Brighton have ended 1:1.
- Seven out of the last 10 games between these two teams have ended in Under 2.5 Goals.
- Ten of the last 12 meetings between the two have seen both teams score.
- The Seagulls had scored in 32 straight Premier League matches before Sunday’s 2:0 loss at Arsenal.
- A total of 63 goals have been scored in Brighton’s fixtures this season, which is the most of any side in the English top flight.
Team News – Injury Crisis At Palace
As with any other accurate Premier League bet, we have to pay special attention to the team news heading into this Palace v Brighton prediction.
Palace received a lift with Eberechi Eze’s comeback as a late substitute against City after an ankle problem. The English talent might feature in the starting lineup on Thursday, potentially alongside Jordan Ayew, who missed the draw at the Etihad Stadium due to suspension.
While this brings positive news, Palace’s medical facility continues to be crowded. Team captain Joel Ward’s absence due to a thigh issue adds to the list of sidelined players, which already includes Sam Johnstone, forward Odsonne Edouard, and midfielder Jefferson Lerma.
The other notable absentee for the London club is Cheick Doucoure. The injury list is completed with Nathan Ferguson.
Joel Veltman’s absence in Thursday’s derby comes as he sustained a knee injury during the loss against Arsenal. This adds to Brighton’s sidelined full-backs, including Tariq Lamptey and Pervis Estupinan.
Additionally, Seagulls manager Roberto De Zerbi continues to face unavailability concerns with Ansu Fati, Julio Enciso, and Solly March.
Brighton’s Season Thus Far
Following Brighton’s highly successful Premier League season, a period of significant changes ensued. Key departures included midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo, who left for substantial fees, alongside goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who secured a lucrative move to Chelsea.
The club reinvested in replacements, acquiring goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud, and center-forward João Pedro from Anderlecht, Borussia Dortmund, and Watford respectively. Roberto di Zerbi also secured the seasoned experience of James Milner, who departed Liverpool to extend his Premier League tenure into a third decade.
Managing the demands of both domestic and European football poses a challenge for the Italian manager this season. Brighton successfully progressed to the Europa League knockout rounds after navigating through group stage encounters against AEK Athens, Ajax, and Marseille.
Despite a run of just two victories in their last 11 Premier League fixtures since September, current form might not necessarily dictate outcomes. Brighton’s historical record at Selhurst Park has been modest, with only one victory since 2005. However, under the floodlights, they aim to alter this record and seek an improved performance.
Crystal Palace v Brighton Prediction
The online odds makers are favoring Brighton to win this game at the odds of about 2.30. That’s understandable given the fact that De Zerbi’s men have earned 9 more points than their hosts tonight. After 17 rounds in the Premier League, Brighton are currently 9th in the standings with 26 points.
A rare win for Palace here would triple your money, but it’s always dangerous betting against Brighton, so I would not recommend it.
The Seagulls failed to score against Arsenal, and that’s quite rate for them. As mentioned, they were on a 32-game scoring streak prior to the 2:0 loss at London. Having said that, we expect them to get back to their scoring ways tonight.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace should be feeling pumped up after earning their draw against City, so they should be score at least one as well.
With all that being said, our Premier League prediction for today is for Both Teams to Score and Over 2.5 Goals.
