Brighton vs Crystal Palace: Premier League Preview

Brighton vs Crystal Palace is the 15:00 SAST kick-off on Sunday, 18 October 2026, at the American Express Stadium in Falmer. It is a Premier League round-seven match between a side chasing the leaders and a side trying to climb out of the bottom half. This is a preview, written before kick-off, using our match data and the results to date.

What time is Brighton vs Crystal Palace and where is it played?

Brighton vs Crystal Palace kicks off at 15:00 SAST (14:00 in England) on Sunday, 18 October 2026, at the American Express Stadium in Falmer. Robert Jones is the referee, according to our fixture data.

It is round seven of the Premier League season. Meanwhile, you can follow the score as it happens on our live scores page. For the wider schedule, our Premier League predictions hub lists every upcoming fixture in South African time.

How is Brighton’s form heading into the match?

Brighton are third in the table with 13 points from six games, after four wins, one draw and one defeat. They have scored 18 goals and conceded five, which gives them the best goal difference in the league, at plus 13.

Their results this season run as follows: a 4-0 home win over Aston Villa, a 4-3 defeat at Chelsea, a 1-1 home draw with Leeds, a 5-0 win at Coventry, a 3-0 home win over Arsenal and a 2-0 win at Sunderland on 10 October. As a result, they arrive with three straight league wins and three consecutive clean sheets.

At home the numbers are strong. Brighton have played three league games at the Amex, winning two and drawing one, with eight goals scored and only one conceded. However, the one real stumble away from home was that Chelsea game, which accounts for four of the five goals they have let in all season.

Who are Brighton’s main scorers this season?

Groß leads Brighton with three goals and four assists in the league so far, according to our player data. De Cuyper has two goals and two assists, while Kostoulas has two goals and one assist.

That spread matters. Because the goals come from midfield and defence as well as attack, Brighton do not depend on one finisher. Therefore, Palace cannot simply focus on a single player.

What is Crystal Palace’s form like?

Crystal Palace are on seven points from six games, with two wins, one draw and three defeats. They have scored nine goals and conceded 12, a goal difference of minus three.

Their league results so far are a 2-0 defeat at Everton, a 4-1 home defeat to Manchester City, a 3-2 win at Fulham, a 3-2 home defeat to Ipswich, a 0-0 draw at Leeds and a 3-1 home win over Nottingham Forest on 11 October. In other words, the team has been involved in plenty of goals, but defensive control has been the problem.

On the road the picture is mixed. Palace have played three away games, with one win, one draw and one defeat. They scored three goals and conceded four in those matches. Still, the most recent result, the win over Forest, gives them some momentum after the loss to Ipswich.

What does the head-to-head record say?

Crystal Palace have the better recent record in this fixture. In the last five Premier League meetings, Palace won three, one was drawn and Brighton won one. Palace scored seven goals and Brighton six across those games.

The five meetings were: Brighton 4-1 Palace on 3 February 2024, Brighton 1-3 Palace on 15 December 2024, Palace 2-1 Brighton on 5 April 2025, Palace 0-0 Brighton on 9 November 2025, and Brighton 0-1 Palace on 8 February 2026. Notably, Brighton have not beaten Palace in the league since that 4-1 win at the Amex, and the most recent visit to Falmer ended in a 1-0 Palace win.

That history adds an edge for Brighton’s home supporters. Consequently, a win would end a run of four league games without a victory against their neighbours.

Which players are missing for Brighton vs Crystal Palace?

Our injury data shows several absentees on both sides, although final team news only arrives with the official lineups about an hour before kick-off. For Brighton, it lists Mitoma (hamstring), Ferguson (ankle), Wieffer (knee), Tzimas (knee), Minteh and Yohanna.

For Palace, the list includes Mateta (hamstring), Chilwell, Riad (knee), Henderson (foot) and Tomiyasu (calf). In addition, Disasi is suspended after a red card. Treat all of this as provisional until the lineups are confirmed, because late fitness calls can change the picture.

What would a result mean for the table?

A Brighton win would take them to 16 points, above Arsenal’s 15 in the table as it stands, and keep them as the closest challenger to unbeaten leaders Manchester City on 21 points. A draw would move them to 14 points. A Palace win would lift them to 10 points, while a draw would give them eight.

Because the table is tight below the top six, a single result can swing several places. You can see the full picture on our live scores page after the final whistle, and our match report follows once the game is over.

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