Ismaila Sarr’s composed second-half finish earned Crystal Palace a hard-fought victory over rivals Brighton, bringing an end to the Eagles’ nine-game winless run in the Premier League.
With both sides short on confidence and fluency, the contest appeared to be drifting towards a forgettable stalemate until Sarr provided the decisive moment just after the hour mark.
The winger latched on to a pass from substitute Evann Guessand and coolly lifted the ball over Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen with Palace’s first shot on target.
A scrappy first half reflected the recent struggles of both teams.
Brighton’s Maxim de Cuyper registered the only effort on target before the break with a tame strike from distance, while captain Lewis Dunk twice went close with headers from set-pieces.
Palace gradually grew into the game before the interval, but Adam Wharton fired wide and Sarr failed to trouble Verbruggen under pressure from Dunk.
Clear chances remained scarce until Sarr struck for his 10th goal of the season in all competitions.
Brighton teenager Charalampos Kostoulas was denied by Dean Henderson shortly after the opener, yet Fabian Hurzeler’s side could not find a way back.
The Seagulls remain without a league win since early January.
After weeks of frustration following last season’s FA Cup triumph, Palace finally had something to celebrate.
This derby win eased the pressure on Oliver Glasner, who is expected to depart at the end of the campaign.
With Jean-Philippe Mateta sidelined following a failed transfer to AC Milan, Jorgen Strand Larsen made his full debut.
While he struggled for impact early on, the striker forced a late save from Verbruggen as Palace searched for a second goal.
It was debutant Guessand who made the key contribution, holding off a challenge before releasing Sarr for the winner.
The victory moves Palace up to 32 points, nine clear of the relegation zone and above Brighton in the table.
The final whistle was met with loud boos at the Amex as Brighton supporters vented their frustration at another disjointed display.
Hurzeler’s side showed brief promise early on but lacked incision and belief as the match wore on.
Henderson’s save from Kostoulas after Palace took the lead was as close as Brighton came to a response.
With just one win in their last 12 league games, pressure continues to build on the Brighton manager.
While teenage winger Harry Howell made history as the club’s youngest Premier League starter, it was another bleak afternoon for the Seagulls, whose struggles show little sign of easing.
