Crystal Palace ended a long wait for a Premier League victory as Ismaila Sarr struck in a 1-0 win away to rivals Brighton, a result that eased pressure on Oliver Glasner and moved Palace further from the relegation places after a difficult run since early December.
The narrow success also continued Palace’s strong form on the road, with the team again collecting crucial points away from Selhurst Park, while Brighton’s own poor sequence extended, despite late pressure and several opportunities to deny their visitors a clean sheet in a tense closing spell.
Both teams entered the match needing three points to halt slides down the table, yet it was Palace’s travel record that told. The Eagles have now earned 63% of their Premier League points away
from home this season, taking 20 of their 32 points on the road.
Only Tottenham have a higher share of away points, with 66% of their tally coming in away fixtures. Each of Palace’s last four league wins has arrived away from home, underlining why Glasner’s squad has become particularly effective on its travels during this campaign.
Underlying numbers backed up Palace’s victory. Glasner’s side produced an expected goals figure of 1.16 from seven attempts, while Brighton generated an xG of 0.85 from the same number of shots. Palace therefore created slightly better chances overall, which helped justify the final scoreline.
Sarr again proved decisive against Brighton. The winger has scored three goals across his last two top-flight away matches versus the Seagulls, the most away goals Sarr has managed against any Premier League opponent. Sarr is also the first Palace player to net three away league goals against Brighton.
The decisive moment arrived after a cautious first half. Palace’s first effort on target brought the winner, as Sarr finished smartly, with Bart Verbruggen almost preventing the ball from crossing the line. That clinical strike separated the rivals in a contest short on clear openings.
Earlier, chances had been rare. Lewis Dunk glanced a header wide from a Pascal Gross free-kick. At the other end, Maxence Lacroix blocked Maxim De Cuyper’s attempt before Daniel Munoz released Sarr, who fired over the crossbar with a powerful shot from a promising position.
Brighton responded after falling behind. Charalampos Kostoulas broke clear, yet Palace captain Dean Henderson stayed upright and blocked the attempt. Jorgen Strand Larsen, on debut, nearly added a second for Palace, but Verbruggen denied the forward twice, including a low stop deep into second-half stoppage time.
Togetherness = THREE POINTS pic.twitter.com/Vws3LHBugQCrystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) February 8, 2026
Key match numbers highlighted Palace’s edge over Brighton in this Premier League meeting.
| Team | Goals | Shots | Expected Goals (xG) | Premier League points away (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Palace | 1 | 7 | 1.16 | 63% (20/32) |
| Brighton | 0 | 7 | 0.85 | – |
Palace leave with a valuable derby win, improved breathing space above the relegation zone and further proof of strong away form, while Brighton face more questions after another defeat in the Premier League despite periods of control and several chances that went unused.
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