Albion v Crystal Palace
PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: The American Express Community Stadium
Date: Saturday 29th February 2020
Kick-off: 12:30 GMT
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Assistants: Dan Cook, Sian Massey-Ellis
Fourth official: Tim Robinson
VAR: Kevin Friend
Assistant VAR: Andrew Halliday
TEAM NEWS
Brighton & Hove Albion have no new injury concerns, with midfielder Dale Stephens available following two games out with a thigh injury.
Jose Izquierdo is the only absentee in an otherwise fully-fit squad.
Crystal Palace expect to welcome back Luka Milivojevic, who missed the win against Newcastle because of illness.
Fellow midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate should also be in contention despite being substituted late on last weekend with an ankle complaint.
MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
Jonathan Pearce: Not the oldest of derbies but one of the bitterest.
The Goldstone Ground clash in 1975-76 was nearly abandoned when smoke bombs were thrown. The feud intensified when Alan Mullery of Brighton and Terry Venables of Palace seethed during a 1976 FA Cup first-round replay. The Seagulls had a goal disallowed; Palace scored from a twice taken penalty - both dodgy decisions by referee Ron Challis.
At the 2013 promotion play-off semi-final second leg, Palace discovered their dressing room had been soiled. Wilfried Zaha was furious. It drove him on to a match-winning display. He now has six goals in 11 meetings and will be key again.
But Brighton are the better passing side, the younger team and the needier one.
My family is divided into fans of both! I'm sitting on the fence.
WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY
Graham Potter: "I'm delighted with the spirit, quality and togetherness that the lads have been showing this week - now we have to transfer it into Saturday.
"My message to the fans is to enjoy the game and get behind the team in the right way. They can help us get three points, and we know what it means to them."
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson: "This is a special game for the fans, it has a certain history in the annals of both clubs.
"We are very much aware of that as a club and as a football team and aware of what the game means and how much our supporters look forward to this.
"There is nothing you can do extra special for these matches, and that goes for all derby games."
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
[*=left]Brighton are unbeaten in three league meetings (W2, D1), their longest run without losing in this fixture since a run of 10 games between 1979 and 1986.
[*=left]Crystal Palace have won just two of the past 18 away league games. The Eagles have never won a top-flight match at Brighton (D1, L3).
[*=left]Brighton are the only team in the top four English divisions yet to win a game in any competition in 2020.
[*=left]The Seagulls have claimed just one win in 12 league matches, but have drawn seven times.
[*=left]Albion could remain winless in their opening eight league fixtures of a calendar year for the first time since 1998 in the fourth tier.
[*=left]They have conceded first in four successive Premier League games, but have come back to draw their last three.
[*=left]Brighton have never won a Premier League home game when conceding first (D10, L14).
[*=left]They have kept one clean sheet in 16 league matches.
[*=left]Mathew Ryan and Lewis Dunk are one short of becoming the first players to make 100 Premier League appearances for Brighton.
[*=left]Glenn Murray has scored in his last four appearances against Palace.
[*=left]Crystal Palace are looking to win back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since December. However, the Eagles are winless in their last six away league games (D4, L2).
[*=left]Their victory against Newcastle was a first in eight Premier League matches, and a first clean sheet in 11.
[*=left]They have lost only one of their 10 Premier League fixtures against teams currently below them in the table.
[*=left]Palace's total of 33 points is their highest at this stage of a top-flight season since 1991-92.
[*=left]They have the oldest average starting XI in the Premier League this season, aged 29 years and 253 days.
[*=left]The Eagles have scored a joint-league low 24 Premier League goals this campaign.
[*=left]Roy Hodgson's Premier League win ratio of 33% at Palace is the lowest at any of the five clubs he has managed in the division.
[*=left]Wilfried Zaha has scored a career-best six goals versus Brighton.
