The historic rivalry has seen Palace struggle over the last two matches since an iconic 3-2 victory at Selhurst Park over the visiting Seagulls.
That day, five goals in the game’s opening 35 minutes saw the Eagles hold on to a tight lead thanks to a Wilfried Zaha brace and James Tomkins effort in-between the Ivorian’s double.
The win - which came in mid-April - signified a landmark moment in Palace’s turnaround in fortune under Roy Hodgson, who rescued the club from relegation after taking the reins in September 2017.
Against Brighton, Hodgson will be taking charge of his 100th game at the Eagles’ helm. He is only the third manager to reach this milestone for Palace since Alan Smith - joining Iain Dowie and Neil Warnock (123 and 129 respectively). In the club’s history, Hodgson is the 17th manager to have led a century of matches.
Crystal Palace become the fourth club Hodgson has managed 100 games for - after Halmstads BK, Malmö FF and Fulham. At each of the three clubs, Hodgson enjoyed unprecedented success.
One trademark of Hodgson’s managerial style is well-drilled, organised and tight defences - a strength that has become synonymous with Palace under his leadership. This season has been no different, with the Eagles keeping the second most clean sheets of any team in the league (six), only sitting behind second-place Leicester City (seven).
Interestingly, Palace are the only side in the Premier League this season to have neither scored or conceded any goals from outside the box. In 2018/19, there were 17 goals from outside the box in their games.
Looking at the table, this clash could prove key for both teams - with just three points and two places separating the Eagles from the Seagulls. As the clubs sit level on goal difference, a win for Brighton would take Graham Potter’s men above Hodgson’s, but a win for Palace would put good distance between the south Londoners and south coast side.
A win for Palace would leave the club on 25 points.
Did you know?
The Eagles have kept three clean sheets in a row, and have only ever registered four consecutive shut-outs in the top flight once before - a run of four in total in September 1970.
Tactical overview
Potter has brought a dramatic new approach to Brighton’s tactics this season, becoming known for his eye-catching and versatile approach to the game.
This campaign has seen the Seagulls field a number of formations - but with a focus on pressing from the front and outnumbering the opposition in defensive positions. This can see Albion play quite a narrow game, focused on regular passes with intent.
Building from the back but with an aim to move forward rather than just keep possession, Brighton often beat opposition presses while their forwards harry defences to catch-out possession-based teams.
Team news
Hodgson has confirmed that Jeffrey Schlupp, Patrick van Aanholt and Joel Ward are unavailable to play and Mamadou Sakho remains suspended after collecting a red card against AFC Bournemouth.
Brighton have no fresh injury concerns, but Potter confirmed Solly March will not make the game. The visitors will make a decision on Aaron Connolly’s fitness before the evening and Dale Stephens is suspended having been booked five times this campaign.
SEE ALSO: Hodgson confirms Schlupp and Van Aanholt absence pre-Brighton
How to follow
Palace Audio
Palace supporters all over the world can listen to live audio commentary of every Palace fixture in the 2019/20 season for as little as £1 per game on the official club app, mobile internet or on desktop.
Fans can buy a Monthly Pass (which auto-renews) at £4.49 per month or a 24-Hour Pass (for a single matchday) for £1.49, by clicking here.
Find out more about Palace Audio here!
Social media
You can check out our Instagram story for eye-catching footage of all of the pre-match build-up and our official Twitter page will be bringing you up-to-the-minute match updates, stunning photos and more.
The official app
The official Palace app’s match centre is the place to be for everything you need during the Brighton clash. With live stats and alerts, a running match commentary feed and lineups the moment they’re released as well as all an instant match report and post-match reaction from Palace TV, there’s no need to leave the app to follow the Eagles’ efforts.
Download our app for free here!
International fans
For fans following from abroad, have a look at our Worldwide TV Listings here. And if you're wondering where the nearest official fan club is to you, you can click here to find out.
Did you know you can become an International Member from just £45 and receive benefits such as guaranteed tickets for any home league game and exclusive live Palace TV streams for selected games? You can - by buying here!