Diego Gómez scored from the halfway line as Brighton & Hove Albion thrashed Crystal Palace 5-0 at the American Express Stadium on Sunday, racing into a three-goal lead inside 10 minutes of the M23 derby. Fabian Hürzeler's side moved up to second in the Premier League with a fourth straight league win.
Match facts
- Result: Brighton & Hove Albion 5-0 Crystal Palace (half-time 3-0)
- Competition: Premier League, Matchweek 7
- Venue: American Express Stadium, Falmer (attendance 31,440)
- Scorers: Brighton - Canvot 4' (og), Gómez 7', Ayari 10', Kostoulas 49', Hinshelwood 84'; Crystal Palace - none
- Assists: Brighton - Boscagli (7'), Kostoulas (10')
- Red cards: None
- Next: Brighton visit FK Jablonec (Conference League) on Thursday 22 October, then Liverpool on Sunday 25 October (14:00 UK); Crystal Palace visit Beşiktaş (Europa League) on Thursday 22 October, then host Newcastle United on Sunday 25 October (14:00 UK)
How the match unfolded
Brighton were ahead inside four minutes. Anan Khalaili fouled Lewis Dunk near the byline, Pascal Gross whipped in the free-kick and Jaydee Canvot headed it into his own net at the near post.
Three minutes later Gómez collected the ball on the halfway line after a quick break, spotted Walter Benítez off his line and lofted a right-footed shot over the goalkeeper from just inside the Palace half. BBC Sport measured the strike at 51 metres, the longest-range Premier League goal since Wayne Rooney scored from 58 metres for Everton against West Ham in November 2017.
In the 10th minute Charalampos Kostoulas and Gross broke down the right, and Kostoulas teed up Yasin Ayari, whose first-time shot took a deflection on its way in.
Palace's best reply came in the 12th minute, when Bart Verbruggen saved from Khalaili at his near post. Benítez kept it at 3-0 with saves from a Kostoulas long-range effort and a curling shot by Ferdi Kadıoğlu.
Pierre Sage replaced Quinten Timber with Dwight McNeil at half-time, but Brighton scored again in the 49th minute. Gross crossed from the left, Ayari's shot was deflected into the path of Kostoulas, and the forward finished left-footed. The goal stood after a VAR check for handball.
Sage sent on Jean-Philippe Mateta and Eddie Nketiah in the 61st minute. Mateta, who Palace said was playing his first minutes in two months, hit the crossbar two minutes later, and substitute Jefferson Lerma headed against the post from a corner.
In the 84th minute Benítez saved a Luka Vušković header from a corner, and Jack Hinshelwood, on for Gross since the 71st minute, rammed the ball home from close range.
Gómez told Sky Sports: "When I got the ball I knew the goalkeeper was a little bit ahead. When I scored I didn't know where to run or what to do. I was very happy with the goal."
Brighton up to second
The victory took Brighton to 16 points from seven games, five behind leaders Manchester City. Third-placed Arsenal, a point behind with a game in hand, were due to play at Nottingham Forest later on Sunday. Brighton's 23 league goals are the most in the division, and their run includes a 3-0 home win over Arsenal in September.
It was also Hürzeler's first win over Palace at the fifth attempt, after a 1-0 home defeat in this fixture in February.
A heavy setback for Palace
Sage had made three changes from the side beaten 3-2 in Lyon on Thursday. A week after beating Nottingham Forest 3-1, Palace suffered their first away league defeat since losing at Everton on the opening weekend. The defeat left them 14th on seven points.
Both clubs are back in Europe on Thursday, Brighton at Jablonec and Palace at Beşiktaş, before Brighton visit Liverpool and Palace host Newcastle next Sunday.
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