Report: Clinical Palace cut through Brighton away

Palace’s defence was holding firm, with only a moment of inspiration likely to breach it, albeit Brighton’s Brajan Gruda came close to picking out the top corner with a deflected free-kick – the effort, thankfully, landed on the roof of the net.

There was still time to sprinkle a – and, of course, Sarr was the man to provide it, racing onto Nketiah’s flick-on, nicking the ball past a hesitating Dunk and rolling it home beyond Verbruggen with delightful composure.

Spirits could not even be dampened by a Brighton consolation goal a few minutes later, as a scramble at a corner saw the ball cruelly deflect in off an unwitting Guéhi.

There was even time left for Nketiah to run clean through from Kamada’s through-ball, but his lobbed finish evaded the far post, before Henderson denied Enciso with one final impressive save.

By then, however, there had already been an exodus at Amex Stadium, with Palace becoming the first team to win away there this season.

It was an afternoon to remember.

Brighton: Verbruggen (GK), Lamptey (Enciso, HT), Dunk, Van Hecke, Estupinan, Baleba, Ayari (Gruda, 72), Minteh (Ferguson, 72), Rutter (Adingra, 72), Mitoma, Pedro.

Subs: Steele (GK), Igor, Moder, Wieffer, McConville.

Palace: Henderson (GK), Muñoz, Chalobah, Lacroix, Guéhi, Mitchell (Clyne, 85), Lerma, Hughes (Doucouré, 85), Eze (Kamada, 60), Sarr (Devenny, 90+2), Mateta (Nketiah, 60).

Subs: Turner (GK), Kporha, Schlupp, Agbinone.

As It Happened: