Brighton vs. Crystal Palace prediction, odds: Soccer expert reveals English Premier League picks for Jan. 14

It’s a battle of unlikely but fierce rivals on Friday when Brighton and Hove Albion hosts Crystal Palace in an English Premier League match at American Express Community Stadium. The teams have met off and on since 1920, but a lot of tension surfaced during the 1970’s, when both teams were battling to improve their places in the English league pyramid. It has been an astonishingly even rivalry, with each team winning 40 matches, 28 ending in draws and Palace holding a 151-144 edge in goals. Brighton is ninth in this season’s English Premier League table and the Eagles are 11th, with four points separating them, and both just won their FA Cup third-round matches. Palace beat Milwall 2-1 on Saturday, while the Seagulls beat West Brom by the same score on the same day.

Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET in Brighton, England. Caesars Sportsbook lists Brighton as the +107 favorite (risk $100 to win $107) on the 90-minute money line in its latest Brighton vs. Crystal Palace odds, with Palace the +295 underdog. A draw is priced at +215 and the over-under for total goals scored is set at 2.5. Before making any Crystal Palace vs. Brighton picks or English Premier League predictions, you have to see what proven soccer insider Jon Eimer has to say. 

Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge about leagues and players most people don’t know exist, including most oddsmakers. He understands that oddsmakers don’t focus on obscure leagues, so Eimer has become obsessed with learning everything possible about smaller competitions. The Indiana-based handicapper compiled a winning record of 260-133-1 with over 90 units of profit for his community on various platforms over a recent two-month stretch.

Now, he has broken down Brighton vs. Crystal Palace from every angle and revealed his coveted picks and EPL predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his EPL picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Crystal Palace vs. Brighton:

• Brighton vs. Crystal Palace: Brighton -0.5 (+100)
• Brighton vs. Crystal Palace over-under: 2.5 goals
• Brighton vs. Crystal Palace money line: Brighton +107, Crystal Palace +295, Draw +215
• Brighton: It is 3-1-1 on Friday, losing only its first such match.
• Palace: It has never won a game played on a Friday (0-3-4).

Why you should back Brighton

The Seagulls are one of the better teams defensively in the Premier League, allowing just 20 goals in 19 matches. Only top-three teams Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool as well as Wolves have allowed fewer. Brighton plays a possession-based style under manager Graham Potter, but it hasn’t been producing a ton of goals. It averages just over one per game, but Palace yields 1.5 per 90 minutes, so it could get some opportunities. The Eagles also have conceded 18 of their 30 goals in road matches, while scoring just nine of their 29 away from home.

Brighton is fourth in the league in possession (56.3), trailing only the top three teams in the EPL table and not far behind Chelsea (59.3). It held 54 percent in the last meeting, a 1-1 draw where Neal Maupay saved the point with a dramatic 95th-minute strike. Palace scored its goal on a penalty in first-half stoppage time. Maupay (seven goals), Leandro Trossard (four), Alexis Mac Allister (four) and Danny Welbeck (two) are all capable of making a difference. Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez is fourth in the Premier League in save percentage at 77.1.

Why you should back Crystal Palace

The Eagles are unbeaten in their last five against Brighton (2-3-0), with both wins coming at Amex. They are 4-1-2 in the last seven road meetings, and Palace has scored nine more goals than the Seagulls in league play this season. Palace has 29 goals in its 20 matches, led by English midfielder Conor Gallagher. The 21-year-old, on loan from Chelsea, has six goals and three assists. Odsonne Edoaurd (five goals), Christian Benteke (four) and Michael Olise (three) can challenge defenses, and the 20-year-old Olise has scored in consecutive games.

Olise equalized in Saturday’s victory against Milwall and assisted on Jean-Philippe Mateta’s header to win it. Mateta has scored twice in seven games, but he is expected to leave during the transfer period. Key attacker Wilfried Zaha is among the Premier League players out on African Cup of Nations duty, but the Eagles still have the talent to score goals. The defense has been the issue, with Palace allowing 30 goals in its league matches, but Brighton has been average in its league games at Amex. It is 3-3-3 with a minus-1 goal differential at home.  

How to make Crystal Palace vs. Brighton picks

Eimer has analyzed Brighton vs. Crystal Palace from every angle, and he is leaning over on the goal total. He also provides three confident best bets, including a strong play that returns 3-1. He’s only sharing his expert Premier League picks at SportsLine.

So who wins Brighton vs. Crystal Palace? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Brighton vs. Crystal Palace, all from a proven soccer expert, and find out.