Crystal Palace vs Brighton and Hove Albion. Premier League.
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Report and free match highlights as Jordan Ayew heads Crystal Palace ahead in first-half injury time; Danny Welbeck comes off the bench at the break to score late header for Brighton; Roberto De Zerbi's side move up to eighth in the Premier League with Palace in 15th
Friday 22 December 2023 12:05, UK
Danny Welbeck scored a superb late header to earn Brighton a point in a 1-1 draw at rivals Crystal Palace.
Both sides were desperate for a victory, with Palace having won twice in 13 Premier League games and Brighton with two wins from 11 matches, but after the hosts shaded the first period, Brighton improved after the break once Roberto De Zerbi made changes at half-time.
Jordan Ayew stooped to head Palace in front from Michael Olise's cross in first-half injury time after Bart Verbruggen had given the ball away trying to play out from the back.
But with Welbeck and Facundo Buonanotte introduced at the interval, Brighton pushed hard for an equaliser which finally came when the 33-year-old striker rose to send a looping, inch-perfect header beyond the dive of Dean Henderson.
The first half lacked quality between two out-of-form sides. Henderson was forced to parry two efforts from Simon Adingra and Pascal Gross while Verbruggen caught Jean-Philippe Mateta's long-range strike.
Verbruggen, though, was at fault in the final minute of the half when Chris Richards pressed him well, forcing the goalkeeper to rush his pass out which was intercepted. Will Hughes teed up Olise, who delivered a perfect cross for Ayew to steer a header into the bottom corner.
De Zerbi sent his team out early for the second half and they produced a much better performance. Buonanotte gave them more purpose in the final third, driving Palace deep into their own half.
Brighton right-back Jack Hinshelwood arrived several times in good positions in the Palace area, seeing a penalty appeal waved away when he kicked the ground and then firing over from Gross' low cross.
Palace introduced Eberechi Eze from the bench although he couldn't provide the spark they needed, lacking conviction when well-positioned in the Brighton area as his shot was blocked by Jan Paul van Hecke.
Finally, Brighton's pressure told when Gross' cross from the right was met by Welbeck's head to send a looping effort into the top-right corner.
Welbeck nearly inadvertently steered in a winner when Henderson's erratic punch deflected back off the striker and rolled wide.
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson told Sky Sports: "Our players stuck at the task well. I can't deny Brighton were worthy of a point especially with the quality of that equalising goal. But at the end of the day, in a derby game, we have to be satisfied with a point.
"Throughout the game we tried to continue that pressure, but they got better at getting out.
"We had a young lad [David Ozoh] in his second game, Ebe Eze after injury, that didn't make us stronger. Brighton asked us a lot more questions, which led to the equaliser.
"We have played three of the best teams in the league in our last three games, and have done alright.
"We've taken two points, against Liverpool we should have got something as well. And we are getting stronger as the weeks go by."
Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi told Sky Sports: "I think we lost two points. It is because we made too many mistakes, especially in the first half.
"We played in a different way in the second half. Played with more energy and invention to score. If we are losing it is because we are making too many mistakes. We had two or three chances to score and didn't score.
"It's not the responsibility of Bart Verbuggen [only] because when the keeper is under pressure he needs his team-mates to play."
On half-time substitutions: "We have Baleba [born in] 2004, Adingra [born in] 2002. We have a policy of allowing young players to progress, they need to play and make mistakes. It's impossible to play with the same XI with nine injuries."
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Crystal Palace's next game is at Chelsea in the Premier League on Wednesday; kick-off 7.30pm. The Eagles then host Brentford on Saturday December 30; kick-off 3pm.
Brighton are next in action when they host Tottenham in the Premier League on Thursday; kick-off 7.30pm.
The Seagulls then travel to West Ham on Tuesday January 2, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 7.30pm.
