Brighton vs Crystal Palace Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2026-27 English Premier League

Click here for today's sports betting tips from our expert analysts!

The latest M23 Derby sees in-form Brighton welcome Crystal Palace to the Amex on Sunday, with both teams having been involved in European action midweek.

Kick-off date/time: 18 October 2026 at 2:00 pm

How to watch on TV & online: UK – Sky Sports & Sky Go / USA – NBCSN, Fubo & Peacock Premium

Brighton preview: Firing on all fronts

Brighton can do little wrong right now with Fabian Hurzeler's men currently enjoying a five-game winning run in all competitions, with the Seagulls keeping a clean sheet in four of those.

Thursday saw them defeat Lithuanian opponents FK Kauno Zalgiris in the league phase of the UEFA Conference League, while second-half goals from Maxime De Cuyper and Jaouen Hadjam helped to a 0-2 victory at Sunderland last weekend.

Crystal Palace preview: Busy schedule

Crystal Palace, who have seven points from their six Premier League games so far in 2026-27, came from behind to win 3-1 against Nottingham Forest last Saturday, with Daichi Kamada, Jefferson Lerma and Yeremy Pino on target for the Eagles.

Pierre Sage's side were also in European action on Thursday, losing 3-2 in an entertaining UEFA Europa League contest against French side Lyon.

Brighton team news: Struijk a doubt

Pascal Struijk was sent off last weekend but has had his red card rescinded. However, the centre-back is currently dealing with a thigh injury and it remains to be seen whether he makes the matchday squad.

Elsewhere, there are seven injury absentees currently occupying the Brighton treatment room with Mats Wieffer and Yankuba Minteh perhaps the closest to a recovery.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Kadioglu, Dunk, Vuskovic, Boscagli; Andres, Gross; Gomez, Ayari, De Cuyper; Kostoulas

Unavailable: Wieffer (Injured), Minteh (Injured), Mitoma (Injured), Tzimas (Injured), Yohanna (Injured), Azeez (Injured), Ferguson (Injured)

Questionable: Struijk (Injured)

Crystal Palace team news: Late calls on four players

Axel Disasi completes his three-match suspension while Sage was non-committal on the availability of Dean Henderson, Ben Chilwell, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Ismaila Sarr is yet to start a Premier League game this season but, after playing 62 minutes in Europe on Thursday, is edging closer to getting the nod.

Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Benitez; Lerma, Richards, Canvot; Khalaili, Timber, Wharton, Mitchell; Kamada, Pino; Strand Larsen

Unavailable: Riad (Injured), Disasi (Suspended)

Questionable: Henderson (Injured), Chilwell (Injured), Tomiyasu (Injured), Mateta (Injured)

Key stats

• Palace lead the Premier League head-to-head with six wins to Brighton's four, and eight draws in 18 meetings. Goals are level at 21-21.
• Six of the 18 meetings have finished 1-1.
• Palace are unbeaten in the last four meetings (W3 D1) and have won their last two visits to the Amex (3-1 in December 2024, 1-0 in February 2026). Brighton failed to score in the last two meetings.
• Brighton have won their last three games without conceding (5-0 at Coventry, 3-0 v Arsenal, 2-0 at Sunderland). Their club record is four successive clean sheets (January-February 2021).
• Coming into Matchweek 7, Brighton have kept four clean sheets, the most in the division, and are one of four teams to have scored in every game.
• Brighton's 18 goals from six games equals their best Premier League start at this stage (2023/24), and their matches have averaged 3.83 goals.
• Brighton are unbeaten in three home games this season (W2 D1).
• Palace beat Forest 3-1 last time out, their first home win of the season, and are unbeaten in two.
• Palace have conceded in each of their last five home games and kept just one clean sheet this season (0-0 at Leeds).
• Palace's matches have averaged 3.50 goals this season.
• On this day in 2020 (18 October), the sides drew 1-1 at Selhurst Park. Palace have won only one of six Premier League games on 18 October (D4 L1).

Brighton vs Crystal Palace prediction

Crystal Palace have had the edge in recent times when it comes to the M23 Derby, having won three of the last four contests between the sides, with the other being drawn.

However, the Seagulls are playing with a great deal of confidence right now, and Hurzeler will be keen to see them get another three points on the board ahead of five straight away fixtures across all competitions.

Both sides may be a little fatigued after their Thursday night exertions, but Brighton's squad is better equipped to deal with such demands. We see this one going the way of the hosts.

Brighton vs Crystal Palace tip: Brighton to win