Crystal Palace were forced to settle for a goalless draw against Brighton Hove Albion in a fiercely contested Premier League PL derby at Selhurst Park, a result that stood in stark contrast to the eight previous league meetings between these two rivals at this ground, all of which had seen both sides score, Softfootball reports.
Palace came into the game riding high on confidence after a 3-1 win over AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Conference League , their first home victory in the competition, while Brighton were looking to bounce back from a 2-0 EFL Cup defeat away to Arsenal .
As expected from a fixture steeped in rivalry, the opening exchanges were full of aggression and energy. Ismaila Sarr's dazzling run set up Jean-Philippe Mateta for the game's first real chance, though the French striker dragged his effort wide. At the other end, Brighton responded through Diego Gomez, but his shot was well saved, while Palace's own keeper was equally sharp to deny Sarr moments later.