Brighton and Crystal Palace were supposed to face off this weekend as part of Matchday 8 in 2022-2023 Premier League, but, the game has now been postponed. After the season's calendar came out, these teams were programmed to face each other on Saturday, September 17, 2022 at Falmer Stadium. That officially won't happen.
At the moment, Brighton are the biggest surprise in the Premier League with 13 points in 6 matches and find themselves in 4th place of the table (Champions League zone). The problem for the Seagulls is that they just lost their manager, Graham Potter, who immediately signed with Chelsea after Thomas Tuchel was fired. In a way, the postponed game gives margin for the club to find his replacement, but, Brighton's fans are completely in shock after Potter's decision.
On the other side, Crystal Palace is trying to avoid relegation after a very slow start. Only one win in six games has the team in the 15th place of the table and has created a real sense of urgency in the club. Right now, the battle is against teams such as Everton, Aston Villa, West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City.
Why was the Brighton vs Crystal Palace match postponed?
Brighton and Crystal Palace will not play this weekend because of planned rail strikes. Although the match was programmed for Saturday, September 17, 2022, the game has been officially postponed due to exceptional circumstances regarding the industrial action which would have affected thousands of fans. Almost every team in the UK returns to action this weekend, after the period of national mourning for Queen Elizabeth II, but this match in particular won't take place because of the strikes and a possible date will be confirmed later on. This was the statement from the Premier League:
"Premier League fixtures will resume this weekend after a pause to the season as a mark of respect following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Seven of the 10 Premier League fixtures this weekend will be played, with three games postponed due to events surrounding The Queen’s funeral."
In the specific case of Brighton vs Crystal Palace, the authorities stated: "Following extensive consultation with clubs, police, local Safety Advisory Groups and other relevant authorities, there was no other option but to postpone. The Premier League would like to thank the UK Football Policing Unit and other police forces across the country, as well as our broadcast partners, for their support during this process, and will continue to liaise with them ahead of the weekend."
