October 18 2026

Brighton 5-0 Palace

Crystal Palace were thrashed 5-0 away at arch-rivals Brighton & Hove Albion.

For Palace manager Pierre Sage, it was another deeply troubling defensive collapse, coming just three days after his side conceded three goals in a Europa League defeat at Lyon.

Brighton made a flying start when Jaydee Canvot headed Pascal Gross's free-kick into his own net after just four minutes.

Three minutes later, Diego Gomez seized on a loose ball after Olivier Boscagli dispossessed Adam Wharton and spotted Palace goalkeeper Walter Benitez off his line before launching an extraordinary 51-metre effort into the net.

Palace's nightmare continued in the 10th minute when Yasin Ayari raced on to Charalampos Kostoulas' clever backheel and fired home to make it 3-0.

Brighton showed no signs of easing off after the interval, with Kostoulas adding a fourth four minutes into the second half after Ayari's deflected shot fell kindly into his path.

Palace threatened a consolation when substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta struck the crossbar and Jefferson Lerma headed against the post, but neither could find a way past the Brighton defence.

The humiliation was completed in the 84th minute when Jack Hinshelwood reacted quickest to convert from close range after Benitez had kept out Luka Vuskovic's header.

The emphatic victory was Brighton's biggest against their fierce rivals since 1956 and lifted Fabian Hurzeler's side into second place in the Premier League, at least temporarily.

Brighton: Verbruggen, Boscagli, Vuskovic, Dunk (Svobada 89), De Cuyper, Ayari (Yalcouye 81), Kadioglu, Andres, Gomez, Gross (Hinshelwood 71), Kostoulas (Rutter 71).

Not used: Steele, Hadjam, Costinha, O'Riley, Osman.

Palace: Benitez, Ahanor (Lerma 52), Richards, Canvot, Khalaili, Timber (McNeil 45), Wharton, Mitchell, Pino (Nketiah 61), Kamada (Hughes 81), Strand Larsen (Mateta 61).

Not used: Matthews, Mingueza, Osorio, Sarr.