Brighton dismantled rivals Crystal Palace 5-0 as Diego Gomez scored from the halfway line in a very one-sided M23 derby.
For Palace, it was a case of gone in 600 seconds as Brighton stormed into a 3-0 lead inside the opening 10 minutes, combining incredible intensity with jaw-dropping quality.
The opener was a nightmare for Jaydee Canvot, whose own goal set the tone for a miserable afternoon for the visitors following a Pascal Gross delivery from the left.
Palace needed to steady themselves. Instead, they completely lost their bearings.
What followed was simply outrageous. Gomez spotted an opportunity from the halfway line and produced a moment of audacious brilliance, catching Palace off guard with a strike that could be replayed for years to come
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Before Palace could even catch their breath, Yasin Ayari made it 3-0 inside 10 minutes. Three goals, barely any time to process them and a derby that had threatened to be a contest being completely dominated by this brilliant Brighton side.
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Palace needed a reaction after the break, but Brighton had other ideas. The hosts struck again just three minutes into the second half to make it 4-0, with Charalampos Kostoulas getting the goal his performance deserved. A VAR check for handball threatened to spoil the moment, but the goal stood after yet more intelligent work down the flank from Gross.
Jean Philippe-Mateta hit the bar for lacklustre Palace who conceded one final goal before the day was out when substitute Jack Hinshelwood bundled home a late fifth.
Brighton have now taken 16 points from the first seven matches this season and this victory caps a big turnaround for boss Fabian Hurzeler, who was booed off in this fixture last season after Palace won 1-0.
The key moments from the AMEX Stadium
- 4: GOAL! Gross sends in a wicked delivery from the right flank and Canvot plants a header past his own goalkeeper.
- 7: GOAL OF THE SEASON?! Gomez takes aim from fully 50 yards with Benitez out of his goal and connects perfectly to score one of the best goals you'll ever see.
- 10: GOAL! Gomez and Kostoulas pull the Palace defence apart which frees up Ayari to fire home to make it 3-0 inside a wild 10 minutes.
- 48: GOAL! Kostoulas is on hand to punish more hapless defending from Palace to increase Brighton's lead.
- 84: GOAL! Hinshelwood is on hand to pop up to make 5-0 to cap a commanding victory.
Brighton's faith in Hurzeler has been rewarded
Sky Sports' Lewis Jones:
There was a time when Hurzeler could barely win over his own supporters. Now he has Brighton dreaming again.
Back in February, Hurzeler was booed off at the Amex after a 1-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace. The frustration was palpable. Questions were being asked, patience was wearing thin.
Fast forward to this 5-0 demolition of their fiercest rivals and the transformation is remarkable.
This is what happens when a club refuses to panic. Brighton could have pulled the trigger when the noise around Hurzeler was at its loudest. Instead, they trusted their process and back their man.
That faith is now paying dividends.
Brighton have always prided themselves on smart decision-making, from recruitment to managerial appointments.
Hurzeler is the latest example of that philosophy working.
And what better way to underline that progress than by dismantling Palace?
The boos of February feel a long way away. Brighton are going places.