Brighton vs Crystal Palace preview: How to watch, kick-off time, team news, predicted lineups and ones to watch

Yep, it's that time again.

Separated only by fields, a few tedious roads, an airport and some more fields, the latest instalment of the illustrious M23 derby shines bright on the Premier League horizon.

Journeying to the Sussex riviera by trains, trams and automobiles is a rejuvenated Crystal Palace side who conquered The Den last time out in a deeply-soggy, oddly-enthralling FA Cup clash with their foes hailing from Millwall.

Back to where it really matters for Patrick Viera and his south London battalion. Marching across the county line they discover a rejuvenated Brighton cohort unbeaten in their previous four in all competitions.

A response was required after their winless drought of twelve matches that began in the return fixture of this very matchup and, well, Graham Potter appears to have found that misplaced key to the lock of success.

Team news

In his pre-match press conference, Potter discusses how he will be without Enock Mwepu and Yves Bissouma, both in their respective national sides for the African Cup of Nations, though the former misses the tournament through injury.

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Lewis Dunk will not be involved, whilst Moises Caicedo's recent recall from Belgian side Beerschot should see the Ecuadorian in the squad for Friday.

Viera has a few concerns ahead of their venture to the coast with a few having travelled to Cameroon: Wilfried Zaha, Jordan Ayew and Cheikhou Kouyaté are all currently playing abroad.

These absentees join James McArthur and James Tomkins as both recover from their respective injuries, but Nathan Fergurson returns to the squad and is in contention to play.

Predicted line-ups

Brighton & Hove Albion: Sanchez; Cucurella, Burn, Webster, Veltman, Lamptey; Moder, Mac Allister, Lallana; Maupay, Trossard.

Crystal Palace: Guaita; Mitchell, Guehi, Andersen, Ward; Schlupp, Milivojevic, Gallagher; Edouard, Olise, Benteke.

Ones to watch

Neal Maupay (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Despite his seemingly eternal judgement Maupay steals the limelight here as Brighton's leading goalscorer this campaign with seven to his name.

The Frenchman has saved Potter on various occasions this season with a host of crucial strikes away from home late into the affairs, including that of the 1-1 draw with The Eagles back in late September.

Conor Gallagher (Crystal Palace)

The silky fledgling English midfielder is enjoying a breakout season at Selhurst Park with six goals and three assists from his seventeen league matches.

Out with illness for the two fixtures prior to their recent cup tie in Bermondsey, Gallagher returned to the starting XI by providing the assist for Michael Olise moments after the restart, proving the catalyst for their admittance into the next round.

Previous meetings

Results have favoured Crystal Palace in recent history with five consecutive Premier League matches without defeat. A flurry of 1-1 draws at Selhurst Park combine with respective 1-0 and 2-1 victories for the London outfit on Brighton's AMEX soil as Potter's side aspire to snap their frustrating run.

But the thrown flares were of a Sussex sea blue in this season's return fixture as Neal Maupay's delicate lob over the flailing body of Guaita cancelled out Wilfried Zaha's first half stoppage time penalty to rescue a point, sending the travelling support into a rapturous frenzy.

It has been a smidgen over three years since The Seagulls last recorded a home victory over their motorway rivals: Chris Hughton's group storming into a 3-0 lead through Glenn Murray, Leon Balogun and Florin Andone before Luka Milivojević grasped a consolation from the chalky 12-yard spot.