Crystal palace 3 Zaha (5, 24), Tomkins (14) brighton 2 Murray (18), Izquierdo (34)
Crystal Palace took a significant step towards preserving their Premier League status with victory over rivals Brighton.
The Eagles moved six points clear of the bottom three with four fixtures remaining following two first-half goals from Wilfried Zaha and another from James Tomkins.
Throughout an unusually open first half, Glenn Murray and Jose Izquierdo also scored for Brighton, but two errors from their goalkeeper Mat Ryan proved more decisive.
In only the fifth minute, the first significant error from Ryan led to Zaha’s opening goal.
From what should have been a routine save from Luka Milivojevic’s shot, Ryan spilt the ball and Zaha tapped in.
In the 14th minute he was similarly culpable when Palace doubled their lead. James Mcarthur’s shot was blocked as far as Tomkins, whose effort slid underneath the goalkeeper and in.
If the hosts were then expected to continue to extend their lead, Brighton responded through Murray four minutes later. From Pascal Gross’ corner Lewis Dunk sent a header towards goal, and from almost on top of the goal-line, the former Palace striker finished via the underside of the crossbar.
Only a further six minutes passed before Roy Hodgson’s team scored again. This time, Milivojevic curled a superb cross from midfield towards the back post, and Zaha took advantage of the time and space he had been gifted to head in beyond Ryan.
Poor defending had repeatedly combined with a match being played without shape or discipline, and it again contributed in the 34th minute when Brighton scored their second. When the returning Joel Ward — making only his second appearance of 2018 following his return from a groin injury — mistimed a challenge on Izquierdo, the Colombian brilliantly curled from the left side of the penalty area beyond stopper Wayne Hennessey.
The further goals that appeared likely did not come throughout a competitive and tense second half.
Beyond Murray missing by inches from an angled volley, there was rarely a convincing threat on goal from either side.