Brighton & Hove Albion 0-1 Crystal Palace: Jordan Ayew goal clinches victory for Eagles
Jordan Ayew’s second-half goal ensured Brighton’s dismal start to 2020 continued as Crystal Palace edged a tight affair at Amex Stadium.
The result leaves Palace nestled safely in mid-table, while the Seagulls sit four points above the bottom three, having drawn five and lost four of their past nine games in all competitions, since their victory over Bournemouth on 28 December.
The outcome in many ways mirrored Brighton’s season so far.
The hosts dominated possession and carved out several opportunities to score but were eventually punished by their more incisive opponents.
Christian Benteke, a threat throughout for Roy Hodgson’s side, created Ayew’s winning goal against the run of play.
The Belgian forward turned away from a home defender to find his strike partner with a clever reverse pass, Ayew converting with a low shot under Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan.
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Hodgson’s landmark day goes to script
Despite Brighton enjoying greater possession and more efforts on goal than Palace, this was another performance that went to script for Hodgson who was celebrating his 100th Premier League match in charge of the Eagles.
The former England boss stressed before kick-off that he was not bothered about controlling the game as long as his team could deliver in the final third.
And he would have been delighted by their start which saw them keep the Seagulls at arm’s length while creating clear-cut chances of their own.
Benteke spurned the first, awkwardly miscuing his effort wide of goal after James McArthur’s lofted pass sent him clear.
Cheikhou Kouyate then got the ball caught under his studs after latching on to a Benteke header which allowed Ryan to smother the ball at his feet.
While the hosts poured forward after the break and had 15 shots on goal to Palace’s six, goalkeeper Vicente Guaita was rarely troubled by some errant finishing.
And Hodgson’s landmark day could have ended even more satisfactorily – with Wilfried Zaha remarkably prodding a right-foot effort against the left post late on with the Brighton goal completely unguarded.
Ayew equals best goal return – the stats
- Crystal Palace striker Jordan Ayew’s goals this season have won his side 12 points. Only Andy Johnson in 2004-05 (15) won more in a single Premier League season for the Eagles.
- Ayew has equalled his best-ever goal return in a Premier League season – also netting seven goals in 2015/16 with Aston Villa and in 2017/18 with Swansea.
- Brighton remain the only side without a Premier League win in 2020 (D5 L3), with the Seagulls last enjoying a top-flight victory against Bournemouth on 28 December.
- Crystal Palace have won back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since December.
- Brighton mustered 24 shots against Crystal Palace, their best ever tally in a Premier League game.
- Roy Hodgson oversaw his 100th Premier League game in charge of Crystal Palace (W34 D27 L39), the first club he’s reached the milestone with in the competition.
- Sixteen of Crystal Palace’s 28 Premier League games this season have been goalless at half-time, at least five more than any other side.
- Crystal Palace attacker Christian Benteke has registered two goal involvements in his past three Premier League appearances (one goal, one assist), as many as he managed in his previous 34 in the competition.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Brighton
Substitutes
Crystal Palace
Substitutes
Match Stats
Live Text
Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 0, Crystal Palace 1.
Full Time
Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 0, Crystal Palace 1.
Attempt missed. Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the left side of the box is just a bit too high following a fast break.
Davy Pröpper (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Cheikhou Kouyaté (Crystal Palace).
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) hits the left post with a right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box. Assisted by Cenk Tosun following a fast break.
Attempt blocked. Aaron Mooy (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Adam Webster.
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by James McArthur.
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Joel Ward.
Offside, Crystal Palace. Patrick van Aanholt tries a through ball, but Wilfried Zaha is caught offside.
Neal Maupay (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Scott Dann (Crystal Palace).
Attempt missed. Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Davy Pröpper.
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Cenk Tosun replaces Christian Benteke.
Dan Burn (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace).
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Adam Webster.
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Aaron Mooy.
Foul by Steven Alzate (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Steven Alzate replaces Yves Bissouma.
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Patrick van Aanholt.
Attempt missed. Aaron Mooy (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.
Attempt blocked. Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Scott Dann.
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Alireza Jahanbakhsh replaces Martín Montoya.
Attempt blocked. Glenn Murray (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Davy Pröpper.
Attempt blocked. Glenn Murray (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Martín Montoya with a cross.
Dan Burn (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace).
Foul by Martín Montoya (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Jairo Riedewald (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Jordan Ayew.
Attempt missed. Yves Bissouma (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Dan Burn.
Goal!
Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 0, Crystal Palace 1. Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Christian Benteke.
Attempt saved. Aaron Mooy (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Martín Montoya.
Attempt saved. Neal Maupay (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Aaron Mooy.
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Glenn Murray replaces Solly March.
Attempt missed. Solly March (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the right side of the box is too high.
Attempt saved. Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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