Crystal Palace 1-1 Brighton: Tomkins' equaliser cancels out March's opener

Jeepers, keepers. Gone are the days of VHS tapes of goalkeeping howlers - from Peter Enckelman to Rob Green - but this Brighton blooper would be right up there with the worst mistakes in Premier League history.

Robert Sanchez cut a dejected figure as his team-mates consoled him, while Crystal Palace fans laughed at his expense. His team had been cruising to a win that would have furthered their fight for European football when Sanchez, physically and metaphorically, threw it away.

Roberto De Zerbi’s team dominated and really should have taken three points, having a goal controversially chalked off and then taking the lead through Solly March. But a weak and easy cross was fumbled by Sanchez - under no challenge - as James Tomkins scored.

Sometimes it’s just not your day. It definitely wasn’t for Sanchez. As De Zerbi briefed his team on the history of this emotionally-charged, fierce rivalry, his Spanish goalkeeper would have thought to himself, ‘Just do the simple things right’.

Brighton were winless in six meetings with Palace heading into this match but were the far superior team. The half-time scoreline of 0-0 felt an injustice as Albion attacked with purpose, passed better and ended the half with 73 per cent of possession.

World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister came close to scoring on three occasions. Solly March, in the form of his career, played a defence-cutting pass to the Argentinian after 12 minutes but his shot was weak and straight at Vicente Guaita.

He then saw a shot deflected wide by Marc Guehi after a searing run from March ended with a venomous low cross. Mac Allister continued to impact the game and Kaoru Mitoma - on an uncharacteristically quiet afternoon - also forced Guaita into a smart save.

The Spanish goalkeeper was Palace’s best player, which paints a picture of Brighton’s dominance. Roberto De Zerbi’s team have made a recent habit of fighting for results, scoring in the 88th, 92nd and 87th minute of their last three matches.

But for most of this match, one was reminded of Graham Potter’s Brighton: total domination without a ruthless streak in front of goal to win games. Deniz Undav, the German forward, barely impacted this match and was replaced after 57 minutes.

They scored after 33 minutes but, after a lengthy VAR review it was chalked off for offside, by the barest of margins. It came after a zapping move culminated with left-back Pervis Estupinan scoring with a nice finish.

It was a decision that can be labelled a ‘modern offside’. Brighton fans and players celebrated, Palace players regrouped and debriefed on their shoddy defending, and we were all ready to restart the game. Then the VAR ghouls took out the rulers and started drawing their lines.

Faces of joy turned to gloom in the away end as the majority of Selhurst Park celebrated an offside decision like it was a goal. They’ve had little else to cheer about in these parts recently - Palace have not won at home since October and are winless in the league so far this year.

It seemed to rejuvenate the players, too, with Brighton’s Adam Webster needing to make a couple of brave blocks to thwart Palace shots. But Albion soon reasserted their authority and finally took the lead just after the hour.

Estupinan whipped a curling cross from the left flank which seemed to evade all defenders, allowing March to fire home a first-time finish. The Eastbourne-born winger has been at Brighton since 2011, so will know all about the history of hatred between these two clubs.

Palace barely threatened and one cannot recall Robert Sanchez making a meaningful save. But he made perhaps the blooper of the season in the Premier League to gift James Tomkins an equaliser out of nowhere.

Michael Olise drifted in a poor free-kick lacking in power, headed straight for Sanchez. Unchallenged, the Spaniard’s arms came up ready for an easy catch - one he probably makes hundreds of times a day in training - but he spilt the ball to Tomkins for a tap-in.