Brighton 1 Crystal Palace 0: Solly March-inspired win keeps Seagulls’ Euro hopes alive and heaps pressure on Vieira
BEWARE the strides of March… if you are a Crystal Palace defender, at least.
Fleet-footed Solly March raced past the Eagles backline to open the scoring here and pile more pressure on their boss Patrick Vieira.
Brighton’s England hopeful did it in the 15th minute too – on March 15.
It was a timely reminder to Gareth Southgate ahead of Thursday’s Three Lions squad announcement, though SunSport understands March is unlikely to be included.
His strike pushed Roberto De Zerbi’s high-fliers level on points with sixth-placed Liverpool and dreaming of an unlikely Champions League charge.
But for Vieira’s Palace, the situation could not be more stark with their ten-year stay in the Premier League at serious risk of ending.
A dramatic loss in form since the turn of the year has seen them fail to win any of their last 11 league games.
Amazingly, they remain in 12th place, a position they have held since a 4-0 home defeat to Spurs on January 4 which started this horror run.
But the real figure that matters is the gap that exists to the drop zone, standing now at just three points.
With a trip to table-topping Arsenal to come on Sunday, Vieira must be worried a bad result at his old club could seal his fate ahead of next week’s international break.
At least his side managed a shot on target here, which is more than they had mustered in their THREE preceding league games against Manchester City, Aston Villa and Liverpool.
In fact Wilfried Zaha – so often Brighton’s nemesis – pulled it off inside the first minute as Jason Steele pushed his effort from an acute angle out for a corner.
Palace had been forced to play a rookie in goal due to injuries Vicente Guaita and Sam Johnstone, while Jack Butland was loaned to Manchester United in January.
That meant teenager Joe Whitworth – an academy graduate and lifelong Palace fan – was between the sticks.
The 19-year-old was forced into a tricky early decision as he raced out of his box to head clear a dangerous ball under pressure – and carried it off well.
Brighton made a sleepy start and really should have been punished as Palace wasted a hat-trick of quickfire chances.
First, Odsonne Edouard nodded Nathaniel Clyne’s cross wide, before Michael Olise then fired straight at Steele and then fluffed a header of his own.
Predictably, it was not long until Vieira’s side were made to pay for their wastefulness.
Brighton’s attackers have made a habit of haring into space under De Zerbi and they were at it again with only a quarter of an hour played.
Kaoru Mitoma was the provider, playing a delicious through ball to the on-rushing March, who had timed his run to perfection.
March’s finish was even sweeter as he fired past Whitworth into the far corner to notch his sixth goal of 2023.
De Zerbi said on Wednesday he felt both March and Lewis Dunk deserved to be called up to their national team.
But judging by the way Southgate has continually – and bizarrely – overlooked Dunk since handing the centre-back his one and only cap in 2018, March would do well not to hold his breath.
Palace were extremely fortunate to go down to ten men just before the break.
Midfielder Cheick Doucoure, just back from a suspension after being sent off against Villa, was already on a yellow when he chopped down Moises Caicedo near the edge of the box.
Somehow referee Peter Bankes opted not to go to his pocket – and the whistler let Doucoure off AGAIN seconds later as the Malian took out Joel Veltman.
Vieira made the sensible call of subbing Doucoure at the break, sending on Ebere Eze in his place.
Within a few minutes of the second half, there was a power cut which caused a four-minute delay as the technicians got the TVs up and running.
De Zerbi was then cautioned for making a theatrical booking gesture after Caicedo had been awarded a yellow card for a foul on Olise, as if to say, ‘How can you give one for that and not Doucoure’s challenge?’
Alexis Mac Allister threatened a second with a couple of chances but in the end March’s strike was enough against Vieira’s toothless team.
Brighton owner Tony Bloom finally made it to the ground after hot-footing it via helicopter from Cheltenham where he had seen his horse Energumene retain his Queen Mother Champion Chase title hours earlier.
Now his football team are in the race for Europe as the season nears the final few furlongs, driven on by their Italian stallion in the dugout.