Brighton 0-1 Crystal Palace Player Ratings: Ismaila Sarr Strikes Late to Seal Narrow Win for Visitors

Crystal Palace earned a hard-fought away victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the American Express Community Stadium.

It was a classic smash-and-grab performance. Palace spent long periods defending deep. Brighton dominated possession but struggled to create clear chances.

The match was not entertaining for neutral viewers. It was tight and tactical. Brighton moved the ball well but lacked quality in the final third. Their attacks often broke down before testing the goalkeeper.

Against the run of play, Palace scored. Ismaïla Sarr delivered the decisive moment with a clinical finish. It proved to be the only clear chance of the game.

Brighton were left frustrated. Despite controlling the ball, they looked short of ideas and failed to threaten consistently.

Palace executed their plan perfectly. They defended with discipline and organisation. When their opportunity came, they took it.

It was a valuable three points for Crystal Palace. A strong and professional away performance in the Premier League.

Crystal Palace Player Ratings vs Brighton & Hove Albion

Goalkeeper

Dean Henderson - 7.0: A solid and composed performance from the captain. He wasn't peppered with shots but made the saves he needed to. What stood out to us were his two good high claims, showing command of his area. He made 2 saves in total, including one from inside the box. His distribution was a bit wayward with only 40% accuracy, but his primary job was to keep the ball out of the net, and he did that effectively. A reliable presence.

Defenders

Daniel Muñoz - 7.0: A really industrious performance on the right flank. He got up and down the pitch well, contributing at both ends. He created two chances, which was impressive for a player with defensive duties. Defensively he was solid, winning two tackles and making two interceptions. He did pick up a yellow card late on, but it was a necessary evil. A very balanced display.

Maxence Lacroix - 8.5: What a monster at the back. From our perspective, he was the standout performer and the main reason Palace kept a clean sheet. He was everywhere, making a staggering 7 clearances and 4 tackles. We noticed his reading of the game was exceptional, including a crucial last-man tackle. He won 8 of his 12 duels, showing his physical dominance against the Brighton attack. A truly commanding display that earned his team the win, our highest-rated player.

Jefferson Lerma - 8.0: A warrior-like performance from Lerma. Playing in the backline, he was an absolute rock. He won an incredible 12 duels and was dominant in the air winning 6 aerial battles. His 9 clearances show just how much he threw his body on the line. He read the game magnificently and was a constant barrier for the Brighton forwards. A colossal effort.

Chris Richards - 7.5: Very strong alongside Lacroix and Lerma. He contributed a massive 7 clearances and won 5 of his 6 duels. He was composed on the ball with a 77% pass accuracy. What we noticed was his concentration, he barely put a foot wrong all game. He was strong, focused, and played a huge part in that vital clean sheet. A mature performance.

Tyrick Mitchell - 6.5: A quiet but effective game from Mitchell on the left. He wasn't as involved offensively as Muñoz but did his defensive job well. He made 3 interceptions and recovered the ball 6 times. He also completed a couple of successful dribbles when he did venture forward. He was solid enough and contributed to the team's compact defensive shape.

Midfielders

Will Hughes - 7.0: The engine room before he was subbed off. Hughes was tenacious, breaking up play and trying to link defense to attack. He created two chances and his delivery from set-pieces was a threat, whipping in 5 crosses. He picked up an early yellow but managed his game well after that. A typically busy and effective performance from him.

Adam Wharton - 6.5: A battling performance in the middle of the park. He won 6 of his 9 duels and drew three fouls, showing he's not afraid to get stuck in. His passing wasn't always on point, but he worked tirelessly for the team. He was a key part of the midfield shield that frustrated Brighton for so long. A disciplined, if unspectacular, outing.

Forwards

Ismaïla Sarr - 7.5: The match-winner. It wasn't his most involved game, but he delivered the most important moment with a clinical finish. His goal was the difference between one point and three. What stood out to us was his instinct in front of goal. He was a constant outlet on the counter, even if he lost possession a few times. For that decisive goal alone, his rating gets a significant boost.

Yéremy Pino - 6.0: A quiet 56 minutes for the attacker. He struggled to get into the game and make a real impact. He had just 20 touches and lost the ball 4 times. It just wasn't his day before he was substituted. He worked for the team but couldn't provide a spark.

Jørgen Strand Larsen - 6.0: A frustrating afternoon for the big striker. He was physically dominated, winning only 3 of his 17 duels. He battled hard but was often isolated against the Brighton defence. He managed two shots on target but couldn't find a way past the keeper. He worked tirelessly but with little reward, and his frustration showed with a yellow card.

Substitutes

Evann Guessand - 6.0: Came on for Pino and provided fresh legs but didn't have a major impact on the game's flow.

Daichi Kamada - N/A: Replaced Hughes late on to help see out the game.

Brennan Johnson - N/A: A late cameo for the goalscorer Sarr.

Manager

O. Glasner - 8.0: His game plan worked to absolute perfection. He set his team up to be defensively solid and to frustrate Brighton. They absorbed pressure brilliantly and were lethal on the counter. His substitutions were sensible to manage the game. A tactical masterclass in how to win away from home.

Brighton & Hove Albion Player Ratings vs Crystal Palace

Goalkeeper

Bart Verbruggen - 6.5: Couldn't do much about the goal, which was a well-taken finish. He made 3 saves, including a great stop to deny a Maxence Lacroix header. His distribution was decent, with 79% pass accuracy. It was a strange game for him, being a spectator for long periods and then being beaten by the one key chance. He did what he could.

Defenders

Lewis Dunk - 6.5: A mixed bag for the captain. He had a massive 108 touches and made 9 clearances, but from our perspective he looked a bit unsettled. He lost 7 duels and missed the target with two headers from set-pieces. He tried to drive his team forward but was part of a defence that was undone by one moment. Not his most commanding performance.

Olivier Boscagli - 7.0: Brighton's best defender on the day. He was incredibly busy, with 107 touches and an 88% pass accuracy, always trying to build from the back. He was also strong defensively, winning 9 of 12 duels and making 3 interceptions. He was a real positive in a disappointing team performance. A classy display.

Ferdi Kadıoğlu - 6.0: A tidy performance but lacked impact. He was safe in possession with 88% passing but offered little going forward. He only won one of his three duels and seemed reluctant to take risks. A steady, if unspectacular, performance. We expected more from him in an attacking sense.

Maxim De Cuyper - 5.5: Had a big chance missed and struggled to make his mark. He was tidy on the ball but his final product was lacking. He was substituted after 71 minutes having failed to really trouble the Palace defence. A frustrating outing for the defender who couldn't provide the width his team needed.

Midfielders

Pascal Groß - 7.0: One of the few Brighton players who can hold their head high. He was the hub, trying to make things happen with 102 touches and 86 passes. He created two chances and was always looking for that killer ball. We noticed he worked hard defensively too, winning 6 of his 8 duels. He was let down by the lack of movement and quality around him.

Carlos Baleba - 6.0: He was solid enough in midfield, winning a few tackles and duels. But an error leading to a shot blotted his copybook. He was neat on the ball but couldn't provide the creativity to break Palace down. Substituted after 71 minutes as Brighton chased the game.

Georginio Rutter - 4.5: A really poor outing. We noticed he struggled to get into the game at all. He lost possession a shocking 19 times from just 35 touches. From our perspective, he looked completely off the pace. He lost 10 of his 14 duels and committed 5 fouls, showing his frustration. A day to forget for the midfielder.

Kaoru Mitoma - 5.5: Unusually quiet and ineffective. We expected him to be the man to unlock the Palace defence but he was well-marshalled. He lost the ball 14 times and his dribbling wasn't at its usual devastating best. He created one chance but it was a peripheral performance from a player Brighton rely on for magic.

H. Howell - 5.5: Had plenty of the ball but did very little with it. He played it safe with his passes and was dispossessed a couple of times. He just couldn't impose himself on the game before being taken off. A learning experience for the midfielder.

Forwards

Charalampos Kostoulas - 5.0: A difficult day leading the line. He was isolated and struggled against Palace's physical centre-backs. He lost 10 of his 12 duels and was dispossessed twice. He had one shot on target but was largely a passenger in the game. It was a tough assignment for him.

Substitutes

Diego Gómez - 6.0: Came on and was booked almost immediately. Added some energy but no end product.

Yankuba Minteh - 6.0: Looked lively when he came on but couldn't change the result.

Danny Welbeck - 6.0: Brought on to add a different threat up front but had little service.

Matt O'Riley - N/A: A late sub with little time to influence the match.

Jack Hinshelwood - N/A: Introduced with O'Riley in the final 10 minutes.

Manager

F. Hürzeler - 5.0: His team had all of the ball but none of the ideas. They looked predictable and lacked a cutting edge in the final third. His substitutions didn't change the course of the game. He will be incredibly frustrated that his team's dominance in possession resulted in a defeat and zero goals.