Danny Welbeck scored a late equaliser to give Brighton a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace in of the strangest Premier League rivalries.The rivalry between Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion, known as the “M23 Derby,” is intense and stems from their close geographical proximity in South East England. It’s been fueled by competitive matches across various football divisions, sparking passionate encounters and heated moments on and off the field. Fans from both clubs engage in banter, chants, and displays, contributing to the intense atmosphere. While not as longstanding as some rivalries, the local nature and history of clashes have made it a fiercely contested and significant derby.20 – Jordan Ayew has become only the sixth Crystal Palace player to hit 20+ goals in the Premier League for the club, joining Wilfried Zaha (68), Christian Benteke (35), Luka Milivojević (28), Chris Armstrong (23) and Andrew Johnson (21). Addition. pic.twitter.com/3Q7uU2oQcc— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 21, 2023 The game began with intense action as both teams displayed attacking intent early on. Roy Hodgson’s team took the lead in the 45th minute when Jordan Ayew capitalized on a well-executed run and cross by Michael Olise, burying a close-range header into the bottom left corner to make it 1-0.Brighton showed resilience and determination in the second half. The equalizer came in the 82nd minute when Danny Welbeck found space near the penalty spot to connect with a brilliant cross from Pascal Gross, heading the ball towards the top right corner, which glanced in off the post, leaving Dean Henderson helpless in the Crystal Palace goal. It was an excellent finish that levelled the score at 1-1.🚨🚨| GOAL: Welbeck scores for BrightonCrystal Palace 1-1 Brighton pic.twitter.com/epaPWgpoRG— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) December 21, 2023 The match witnessed a flurry of yellow cards, indicating the intensity and physicality of the game. Both teams had opportunities to score more goals, but solid defending and impressive goalkeeping denied further breakthroughs.Despite a melee in the box and appeals for penalties from Roberto De Zerbi’s Seagulls, the referee remained unmoved, allowing play to continue. As the final whistle blew, neither team could secure the winning goal, and the match concluded with Crystal Palace and Brighton sharing the spoils in an entertaining and hard-fought encounter.
