Crystal Palace and Brighton play out stalemate amid Guéhi injury fears

Crystal Palace supporters have spent the past six months taking great pleasure in reminding Brighton that they have still yet to win a major trophy. So the first meeting of the clubs since Oliver Glasner’s side did the double over their adversaries from down the A23 for the first time since 1933 – before going on to win the FA Cup – was never going to be one for the faint-hearted.

But while the streets of south London had the usual heavy police presence for a rivalry that dates back to the days when these clubs were managed by Terry Venables and Alan Mullery in the late 1970s, there wasn’t the same quality to match the passion on display. While Palace maintained their record of not having lost to Brighton here since March 2019, Fabian Hürzeler’s side will see this as a chance spurned as they failed to take advantage of opponents who are running on fumes given the extra demands of a Conference League campaign that left them without their captain, Marc Guéhi.

Jaydee Canvot proved to be an able deputy, although the French teenager must have had his heart in his mouth when the referee pointed to the spot in the second half after Georginio Rutter went down inside the area before it was correctly overturned when the video assistant referee ruled he had dived.

Glasner revealed before kick-off that Guéhi had been on crutches since injuring his ankle in the last minute of their win over AZ on Thursday and looks a major doubt for England duty. In the week he was recalled by Thomas Tuchel, Adam Wharton lasted 65 minutes and got the better of another highly rated midfielder in Carlos Baleba, even if neither could have a decisive say.

Hürzeler named an unchanged side for the first time in his 59th match in charge after an impressive win over Leeds last weekend. This has been a stop-start campaign for Brighton but after a run of three wins in their past five Premier League games, their manager admitted they were “desperate” to notch up another in an atmosphere that is always frenzied.

That was certainly the case in the opening 10 minutes as both sides went on the attack, with Jean-Philippe Mateta picking up where he left off on Thursday by blazing over inside the opening three minutes. Diego Gómez was flagged offside after forcing Dean Henderson into a save at the other end before a brilliant full-stretch dive from Bart Verbruggen denied a curling effort from Ismaïla Sarr at the end of a flowing Palace move.

The referee Tim Robinson speaks to Jaydee Canvot, who had a penalty given against him for a foul, but which was overturned. Photograph: Katie Chan/Action Plus/Shutterstock

There are almost 20 years between Glasner and Hürzeler but they both have the same incessant energy on the touchline, rarely even thinking of sitting down. Hürzeler was shown a yellow card after taking exception to one decision and neither looked particularly happy as the game descended into a midfield battle with precious little space to work in. A set piece seemed the most likely source of a breakthrough and Lewis Dunk – making the 500th appearance of his career – did well to clear after Jefferson Lerma directed his header from Wharton’s free-kick dangerously across the face of goal.

Jan Paul van Hecke and Canvot had a disagreement as they waited for another to arrive in the Brighton area and had to be separated by the referee as temperatures were raised. But Tim Robinson appeared reluctant to issue another caution when Yasin Ayari took out Wharton after he turned on to an accurate forward pass from the assured Canvot and Jefferson Lerma clashed with Danny Welbeck. Brighton should have at least tested Henderson when they swept downfield in a quick break just before half-time but Yankuba Minteh dragged his shot horribly wide.

Gómez pressed the England goalkeeper into action at the start of the second half when he connected with Minteh’s cross as Brighton sensed an opportunity. Palace also remained a threat but Daichi Kamada could not make it count after Wharton caught Carlos Baleba in possession and Sarr picked out the Japan international inside the area. Baleba found his way into the referee’s notebook soon afterwards for fouling Tyrick Mitchell – decision that was greeted with ironic cheers from the home supporters.

Their sense of injustice only increased when Robinson pointed to the spot after Rutter went down under pressure from Canvot, Mitchell and Wharton in the box, only to reverse his decision on the advice of the VAR as replays showed the Frenchman had clearly initiated the contact. Palace came closest to snatching all three points when the substitute Yeremy Pino forced Verbruggen into a save at his near post in the sixth minute of stoppage time but will settle for just one after another busy week.