ROOKIE Jaydee Canvot proved he is a reliable replacement for Marc Guehi after all – though VAR saved him from having a disastrous Crystal Palace introduction.
The French teenager was signed from Toulouse for £21million on Deadline Day and was handed his first Premier League start in place of the crocked captain Guehi.
Though Guehi’s £35m transfer to Liverpool eventually broke down at the last minute, boss Oliver Glasner claimed in internal meetings it was “very risky” if Canvot was the only like-for-like defensive back-up.
It was an ultimatum to owner and chairman Steve Parish because as promising as Canvot is, Glasner felt it was too much of a gamble, especially given the fixture workload, to let Guehi just go.
Yet when he was handed his chance against Brighton, the 19-year-old did his role superbly, helping to marshal the Eagles defence in the first goalless M23 Derby at Selhurst Park since May 2013.
That said, he had a nervous wait to find out that his foul on Georginio Rutter did not lead to a Brighton penalty after the intervention of VAR operatives.
With Guehi now on crutches and potentially out for a long period, the France under-21 star will get more responsibility in the back three – time now to show he deserves a first-team spot and justify his transfer fee.
Some may still scoff at the idea that this fixture represents a fierce derby, especially given the 46-mile road difference between the two clubs.
Judging solely, however, by the heavy police presence and the sheer number of meat wagons outside the nearby train station, there was an expectation of potential trouble and flashpoints.
Sometimes passion off the pitch translates to what happens on it and last season’s corresponding clash in South London in April saw THREE red cards as tempers spilled over.
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There was tranquillity and respectfulness for a perfect rendition of the Last Post on Remembrance Sunday – and then came the noise and fury.
Palace fans were bang up for this one and the opening 10 minutes were furious and frenetic.
French forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, whose first Palace goal came against the Seagulls in February 2021, signalled his attacking intent by blazing one over in the third minute.
Not long after that Ismaila Sarr forced a magnificent save, one of the best of this season, off Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
Sandwiched between those moments was a powerful shot by Brighton’s Diego Gomez that was saved by Dean Henderson, christened England’s No.1 by the Holmesdale faithful, before an offside flag was raised.
As the intensity quietened down, with referee Tim Robinson showing some leniency, there was the odd robust challenge and scuffle, with Adam Wharton twice coming off worse as he tumbled to the ground.
Brighton giant defender Jan Paul van Hecke, who was sent off here in April, pulled Maxence Lacroix’s shirt so hard in the penalty area that it came down the Frenchman’s right shoulder but VAR overlooked that incident.
Stockley Park officials did get involved on 62 minutes in the key situation of the match when young Canvot was penalised for fouling fellow countryman Rutter and a penalty was awarded.
Under advice from those in his ear, the ref reviewed the pitchside monitor and then reversed his decision, giving a free-kick to Palace and handing a yellow card to Brighton’s No10 for simulation.
On reflection and with the benefit of replays it was the right call as Robinson deemed Rutter to have “initiated contact”.
And Canvot was spared the shame of handing Brighton a spot-kick that might have resulted in their first win in SE25 since March 2019.
Rutter, 23, is the first Brighton player to be booked for diving in the Premier League since Julio Enciso versus Newcastle in May 2024.
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The second half lacked the same fieriness witnessed in the first and a point each was, on balance, the right result.
Palace, unbeaten in the league since February, could have scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time but the shot from substitute Yeremy Pino, which stung the hands of Verbruggen, was pushed away for a corner.
