Brighton have scored 10 goals in the first 15 minutes of games this season
Brighton maintained their pursuit of European football with a narrow Premier League win over struggling rivals Crystal Palace.
Solly March's goal proved decisive for the Seagulls and punished a Palace side who spurned three good chances to take control of the game in the opening 10 minutes.
While Wilfried Zaha, Odsonne Edouard and Michael Olise were unable to make the breakthrough for the Eagles, March delivered a clinical finish into the bottom left corner from Kaoru Mitoma's incisive pass.
Roberto de Zerbi's side always looked the more accomplished after that and move level on 42 points with sixth-placed Liverpool, while they are six behind Tottenham in fourth, with two games in hand.
The result will only deepen concerns at Palace of a relegation battle after a dismal 11-game sequence without a win that leaves them 12th but just three points above the bottom three.
In that period, they have managed to score just four top-flight goals and manager Patrick Vieira cut a frustrated figure in the technical area as his side's attacking shortfalls were again exposed.
However, he could have few complaints about the performance of goalkeeper Joe Whitworth on his Palace debut - a memorable night for the 19-year-old as he deputised for the injured Vicente Guaita.
The teenager, who grew up as an Eagles supporter and was also a club ball boy, was given little chance by March's unerring finish but kept his side in the game after the break by superbly saving Pervis Estupinan's low shot and an Alexis Mac Allister header.
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Palace pay for profligacy
Having pressed and pressurised Brighton into several early mistakes, the visitors could and should have been well ahead by the time March opened the scoring in the 15th minute.
Zaha's wriggling run through the home defence caused Seagulls goalkeeper Jason Steele to readjust hastily to prevent an opening-minute goal for the visitors.
But their was a distinct lack of conviction to the gilt-edged chances then presented to French forward Edouard - who headed wide under no pressure - and Olise's attempt that Steele saved with the winger converging on goal.
Substitute Naouirou Ahamada late miss - dragging a shot wide with the full goal to aim at - summed up a miserable night for Palace in front of goal.
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Brighton continue their charge
While this was far from Brighton at their brilliant best, they still got the job done in a manner that their fans have become accustomed to - by attempting to dominate possession.
A sign of the Seagulls' progress in recent weeks, can be seen by the attitude in the stands, with draws at Leeds and in the reverse fixture against Palace now viewed as dropped points.
And had they not had a goal incorrectly ruled out by VAR for offside at Selhurst Park, their European hopes would appear even more favourable.
As it was, De Zerbi was able to rest Adam Webster and Evan Ferguson for the majority of the contest and still see his side eke out a valuable three points.
Player of the match
DunkLewis Dunk
with an average of 7.38
- BrightonBrighton & Hove AlbionBrighton & Hove AlbionCrystal PalaceCrystal PalaceCrystal Palace
Brighton & Hove AlbionAvgSquad number5Player nameDunkAverage rating
7.38
Squad number7Player nameMarchAverage rating
7.30
Squad number22Player nameMitomaAverage rating
7.26
Squad number30Player nameEstupiñánAverage rating
7.22
Squad number10Player nameMac AllisterAverage rating
7.22
Squad number28Player nameFergusonAverage rating
7.21
Squad number25Player nameCaicedoAverage rating
7.16
Squad number34Player nameVeltmanAverage rating
7.10
Squad number13Player nameGroßAverage rating
7.04
Squad number19Player nameSarmientoAverage rating
7.00
Squad number20Player nameEncisoAverage rating
6.99
Squad number6Player nameColwillAverage rating
6.98
Squad number4Player nameWebsterAverage rating
6.96
Squad number23Player nameSteeleAverage rating
6.90
Squad number18Player nameWelbeckAverage rating
6.80
Crystal PalaceAvgSquad number41Player nameWhitworthAverage rating
6.03
Squad number8Player nameSambi LokongaAverage rating
4.96
Squad number22Player nameÉdouardAverage rating
4.93
Squad number7Player nameOliseAverage rating
4.89
Squad number6Player nameGuéhiAverage rating
4.85
Squad number16Player nameAndersenAverage rating
4.79
Squad number11Player nameZahaAverage rating
4.77
Squad number10Player nameEzeAverage rating
4.75
Squad number17Player nameClyneAverage rating
4.74
Squad number15Player nameSchluppAverage rating
4.67
Squad number3Player nameMitchellAverage rating
4.67
Squad number28Player nameDoucouréAverage rating
4.45
Squad number9Player nameJ AyewAverage rating
3.88
Squad number29Player nameAhamadaAverage rating
3.72
Squad number14Player nameMatetaAverage rating
3.44
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsBrighton
Formation 4-2-3-1
23Steele34Veltman5Dunk6Colwill30Estupiñán13Groß25Caicedo7March10Mac Allister22Mitoma18Welbeck
- 23Steele34Veltman5Dunk6Colwill30Estupiñán13Groß25CaicedoBooked at 60mins7MarchSubstituted forWebsterat 90+1'minutes10Mac AllisterSubstituted forSarmientoat 88'minutes22MitomaSubstituted forEncisoat 79'minutes18WelbeckSubstituted forFergusonat 79'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Sánchez4Webster19Sarmiento20Enciso21Undav27Gilmour28Ferguson29van Hecke40Buonanotte
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-3-3
41Whitworth17Clyne16Andersen6Guéhi3Mitchell8Sambi Lokonga28Doucouré15Schlupp7Olise22Édouard11Zaha
- 41Whitworth17Clyne16Andersen6Guéhi3Mitchell8Sambi Lokonga28DoucouréBooked at 27minsSubstituted forEzeat 45'minutes15SchluppSubstituted forAhamadaat 80'minutes7OliseSubstituted forJ Ayewat 70'minutesBooked at 90mins22ÉdouardSubstituted forMatetaat 79'minutes11Zaha
Substitutes
- 2Ward4Milivojevic5Tomkins9J Ayew10Eze14Mateta26Richards29Ahamada63Goodman
Referee:Peter BankesAttendance:30,933Match StatsHome TeamBrightonAway TeamCrystal PalacePossessionHome57%Away43%ShotsHome11Away11Shots on TargetHome5Away3CornersHome1Away4FoulsHome13Away20Live Text Post update
Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Crystal Palace 0.
90'+10'Full Time
Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Crystal Palace 0.
90'+8'Post update
Levi Colwill (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+8'Post update
Foul by Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace).
90'+5'Post update
Attempt missed. Naouirou Ahamada (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Eberechi Eze.
90'+4'Booking
Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card.
90'+3'Post update
Foul by Pervis Estupiñán (Brighton and Hove Albion).
90'+3'Post update
Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.
90'+1'Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Adam Webster replaces Solly March.
90'Post update
Levi Colwill (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'Post update
Foul by Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace).
89'Post update
Attempt missed. Julio Enciso (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Pascal Groß.
88'Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Jeremy Sarmiento replaces Alexis Mac Allister.
88'Post update
Julio Enciso (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
88'Post update
Foul by Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace).
86'Post update
Moisés Caicedo (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
86'Post update
Foul by Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace).
85'Post update
Attempt blocked. Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Eberechi Eze.
85'Post update
Attempt missed. Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Pervis Estupiñán.
84'Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Source: bbc.com