Pierre Sage has made a point of understanding the significance of Crystal Palace’s rivalry with Brighton & Hove Albion before Sunday’s meeting at the Amex Stadium. The Palace manager said the importance of the fixture was explained to him when he arrived and that he had since studied the history behind the contest.
The Eagles travel to Brighton for their second away match of the week after beating Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and losing to Olympique Lyonnais in midweek European action. Palace have not lost any of their last four meetings with Brighton, while their previous two visits to the Amex have both ended in victory.
Sage believes the occasion requires more than emotion. He wants Palace to show the energy and determination expected in a derby, while also ensuring their approach is carefully planned against a Brighton side with clear strengths and weaknesses. The Frenchman said the team’s performance after half-time in their two most recent matches represented the level he wants to see again.
The manager also warned that past results cannot decide Sunday’s outcome. He pointed to changes in the players and coaching staff since previous meetings, noting that some Palace players who started this season’s corresponding fixture were substitutes last year. That change, he suggested, can provide additional motivation for those involved.
Brighton have made a strong start to the campaign, sitting third in the Premier League and leading the scoring charts with 18 goals after six matches. Sage acknowledged their form but said Palace must focus on producing an even stronger display, insisting that each match creates a new opportunity to shape the story.
Palace’s team news remains unclear ahead of the game. Sage said the short recovery period following Thursday’s match in Lyon meant he needed to assess Dean Henderson and the other players in training before determining whether any could return to the squad.
