Crystal Palace FC's first-ever major European adventure is underway, as we battle to win the UEFA Conference League. Find out how you can join us on our journey.

European Tour

## Our Senegalese Sarr

> Ismaïla Sarr became the club’s third signing of the 2024/25 summer transfer window after joining on a five-year deal from Olympique de Marseille.

The 26-year-old attacker possesses plenty of experience of English football, having spent four years at Watford – recording 34 goals and 22 assists in 131 games – prior to joining Marseille, whom he helped reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League last season.

Sarr's career began in French football with Metz, before moving to Rennes and leading the club into Europe, as well as winning their first Coupe de France in almost half a century.

At international level, he has been a mainstay of the Senegal national side, earning 64 caps, scoring 13 goals and winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 2021.

His career has also been defined by his eye for the spectacular, having won Goal of the Season awards in both the Football League and the Europa League.

Sarr was ever-present in every Premier League matchday squad in his first season at the club, playing in all 38 games, while also featuring in a further nine cup games. He scored 11 goals across all competitions, with eight additional assists - including a stunning effort against rivals Brighton & Hove Albion and a brace against Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-final.

2022/23, Watford (v West Bromwich Albion)

EFL Goal of the Season

Watford, 2020/21

Player of the Season

Players' Player of the Season

2018/19, Rennes (v Jablonec)

UEFA Europa League Goal of the Season

December 2024

Crystal Palace Player of the Month

Sarr

Instagram

Appearances

Goals

All Angles of Ismaïla Sarr's Goal v Brighton

The Full 90: Brighton v Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

Extended Highlights: Brighton 0-1 Crystal Palace | Palace TV +

Match Action: Brighton 0-1 Crystal Palace

Strand Larsen presents Sarr with Premier League Man of the Match

Ismaïla Sarr Returns From AFCON

Pre-match Press Conference | RC Strasbourg (A)

Extended Highlights: Crystal Palace 3-1 AZ Alkmaar | Palace TV+

The Full 90: Crystal Palace v AZ Alkmaar | Palace TV+

Sarr wins October's Goal of the Month

Match Highlights: Crystal Palace 3-1 AZ Alkmaar

Goal of the month contenders | October 2025

Extended Highlights: Liverpool 0-3 Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

Match Action: Liverpool 0-3 Crystal Palace

Extended Highlights: Crystal Palace 2-1 Liverpool | Palace TV+

Goals Inside Box

Goals Outside Box

Right Foot

Left Foot

Shots

Shots on target

Hit woodwork

Penalties taken

Penalties scored

Touches

Touches in opposition box

Aerial duels

Aerial duels won

Interceptions

Blocks

Recoveries

Tackles won

Duels won

Clearances

Minutes

Attempted passes

Successful passes

Chances created

Crosses

Yellow cards

Red cards

Fouls won

Fouls Conceded

Season

Games

Whilst the wait for a win recently has been a long one, it certainly ended with plenty to celebrate...

### **3 of 4**

Following last season's league double, Crystal Palace have now won three of our last four matches against Brighton.

That's as many as in 18 top-flight meetings beforehand (eight of which were draws)!

### **2 of 14**

Indeed, the Eagles have now lost just two of our last 14 Premier League games against the Seagulls!

### **10**

With his 10th of the season in all competitions, and first shot on target of the day, Ismaïla Sarr moved into double figures for a second successive season as a Palace player, and moved joint top of our goalscoring charts in 2025/26.

### **Six**

... of Sarr's last nine Premier League goals for Palace have given us a 1-0 lead within matches – the man for the big occasion.

### **Three**

Goals Sarr has now scored for Palace at the Amex, in two matches (having netted a brace in last season's 3-1 win) – his top away venue in terms of goals.

### **Five**

Of Sarr's strikes this season have been in the Premier League.

### **Five**

Brighton's defeat at the Amex was only their fifth home loss in the Premier League in the last two seasons – two of those now, of course, coming at our hands.

### **Nine**

It was a fine defensive display at the Amex – and led to our ninth Premier League clean sheet of the season, a total bettered only by the top two, Arsenal (13) and Man City (10).

### **0.85 xG**

Palace's defensive display limited the hosts to an Expected Goals value of just 0.85 – much of which stemmed from Dean Henderson's save from Charalampos Kostoulas.

### **24**

It was also Henderson's 24th shut-out in a Palace shirt – he is now just one behind Nigel Martyn in third place (25) in our Premier League standings, in turn behind Wayne Hennessey (28) and Vicente Guaita (42).

### **51.4%**

In a feisty fixture, Palace came out on top in terms of successful duels, winning over half of them.

### **63%**

The Eagles continue to love an away day: 63% of our Premier League points this season (20/32) have come on the road. Only Tottenham (66%) have won a higher proportion away.

### **33**

33 Palace players have now made their debuts for the club against our traditional rivals – our highest ever 'debuted against' opponents (with Norwich second on 32) – as Jørgen Strand Larsen and Evann Guessand joined that pack on Sunday.

### **20**

Of those debuts were made away at Brighton.

### **Five**

Funnily enough, five current Palace players have now made their debut in this fixture (Strand Larsen, Guessand, Adam Wharton, Daniel Muñoz and Joe Whitworth).

### **First**

Strand Larsen became the first Palace player ever with a compound surname ('Strand Larsen'), as opposed to a double-barrelled or hyphenated surname.

[*With thanks to @SoCpfc on X*](https://x.com/SoCpfc)***.***

### **12**

No player on the pitch won more duels (12), made more clearances (nine) or completed more tackles (four) than your [Player of the Match](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/first-team/vote-player-of-the-match-brighton-crystal-palace-february-2026/), Jefferson Lerma, who also had the most touches (59) and completed the most passes of any Palace player (41).

### **Three points, two debuts**

**One big win!**

If there's one place a Palace supporter would choose to bounce back from a tough run – other than Selhurst Park – it would probably be the home of our greatest rivals. And that only served to make Sunday's 1-0 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium taste all the sweeter.

The Numbers: The best stats from a great day in Brighton

Crystal Palace

Premier League

Brighton and Hove Albion

Last Match

Burnley

Next Match

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After a couple of recent outings in midfield, the versatile Colombia international stepped back into the defensive line at the Amex Stadium – and was outstanding.

No player on the pitch won more duels (12), made more clearances (nine) or completed more tackles (four) than Lerma, who also had the most touches (59) and completed the most passes of any Palace player (41).

Those numbers contributed heavily to our ninth clean sheet of the season – the joint-third best defensive record in the Premier League this season – which in turn paved the way for Ismaïla Sarr's second-half strike to prove a memorable matchwinner.

Lerma earned **34.4%** of your votes at the Amex, with **Sarr** in second on **30.1%** in a high-voting poll.

Also scoring highly were **Maxence Lacroix** (7.2%), **Jørgen Strand Larsen** (6.6%), **Will Hughes** (6.2%), **Evann Guessand** (6.0%) and **Dean Henderson** (5.5%) – but it was, overall, a fantastic team performance.

**See the full results of your Player of the Match poll below!**

Crystal Palace produced a performance of great mentality and togetherness to defeat Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium – and after a close-run poll, you chose Jefferson Lerma as your Player of the Match!

Your Player of the Match from our win at Brighton – revealed!

Brighton and Hove Albion v Crystal Palace (2026-02-08)

January was a perfect month for Palace in the league, with the Eagles scoring five and conceding zero goals across two games.

Aimee Everett captained the side in the 1-0 away win over Sheffield United and in the 4-0 home drubbing of Durham, keeping clean sheets in both games.

She was particularly dominant against Durham, winning three tackles, making three blocks and four clearances as well as not being dribbled past once.

**You can vote for Everett by clicking the button below!**

Vote for Aimee!

She is up against three other nominees, Bristol City's Jessie Gale and Sophie Ingle, as well as Birmingham City's Lily Crosthwaite.

#### **Shortlist**

- Lily Crosthwaite (Birmingham City)
- Aimee Everett (Crystal Palace)
- Jessie Gale (Bristol City)
- Sophie Ingle (Bristol City)

**Voting is now open, and will close on Wednesday, 11th February at 10:00am.**

**The winner will be announced on Friday, 13th February.**

Crystal Palace Women's captain Aimee Everett has been nominated for the Barclays Women’s Super League 2 January Player of the Month award, and you can vote for her below!

Aimee Everett nominated for WSL2 Player of the Month

First-team

First-team

The Numbers: The best stats from a great day in Brighton

Your Player of the Match from our win at Brighton – revealed!

Aimee Everett nominated for WSL2 Player of the Month

Shop Palace Shirts

7Ismaïla
Sarr

First-team

First-team

The Numbers: The best stats from a great day in Brighton

Your Player of the Match from our win at Brighton – revealed!

Aimee Everett nominated for WSL2 Player of the Month

Shop Palace Shirts

7IsmaïlaSarr

7Ismaïla
Sarr