Diego Gomez scored a sensational goal from the halfway line as Brighton hammered rivals Crystal Palace.
With the Seagulls already 1-0 ahead because of Jaydee Canvot’s fourth-minute headed own goal, Gomez scored one of the goals of the season three minutes later.
Olivier Boscagli won the ball from Adam Wharton and 23-year-old Paraguay midfielder Gomez, spotting away goalkeeper Walter Benitez off his line, went for goal.
Benitez sprinted back and desperately dived, but the ball went in just under the crossbar.
Data provider Opta said the goal came from 51 metres out, the furthest long-range Premier League goal since Wayne Rooney scored from 58m in Everton’s 4-0 win over West Ham in November 2017.
Things got even worse for Palace as Yasin Ayari made it 3-0 after only 10 minutes, running on to Charalampos Kostoulas’ backheel and firing past Benitez.
Kostoulas made it 4-0 four minutes into the second half, shooting into the net after Ayari’s effort deflected into his path.
Substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta, back after nearly two months out with a hamstring injury, hit the crossbar for Palace and Jefferson Lerma headed against the post.
But Brighton added a fifth goal in the 84th minute with Jack Hinshelwood converting from close range after Benitez had parried Luka Vuskovic’s header.
It meant Brighton earned their biggest win over Palace since 1956, kept their eighth clean sheet in all competitions of 2026-27 and recorded their fifth Premier League win of a superb campaign.
The result also takes them up to second, but they will drop back a place if Arsenal win at Nottingham Forest in the later game on Sunday.
Brighton analysis: Goal of the season contender has Seagulls fans in dreamland
Brighton’s Maxim de Cuyper looks on stunned as Diego Gomez scores from the halfway lineThis victory continued a superb start to the season for Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton.
The Seagulls had drawn one and lost three of their past four matches against the Eagles, but this result was wrapped up inside the opening 10 minutes.
In-form midfielder Pascal Gross swung in a free-kick from the left wing and Canvot headed into his own net at the near post to give the hosts a dream start.
Gomez then produced his moment of magic, which left team-mates, supporters and pundits stunned.
“It’s an amazing goal,” said Match of the Day pundit Shay Given, a former Newcastle goalkeeper. “It was reminiscent of David Beckham [for Manchester United versus Wimbledon in 1996].
“I don’t even blame Benitez the goalkeeper. We’re always talking about sweeper goalkeepers and you’ve got to be high up for the through ball and the defence playing a high line. I think his position was fine.
“You’ve just got to take your hat off to Gomez. That is just a brilliant, brilliant goal.”
Meanwhile, former Premier League striker Efan Ekoku, part of the commentary team on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra called the strike “the goal of the season so far”.
Brighton fans were in ecstasy again shortly after with Ayari making it 3-0. It was the earliest a side had scored three goals in a Premier League game since Newcastle in their 6-1 win over Tottenham in April 2023.
Hurzeler’s side have been hugely entertaining this season and second-half goals from Kostoulas and Hinshelwood took the team’s tally to nine goals in four days – this win following on from putting four past Lithuanian side Kauno Zalgiris in the Conference League on Thursday.
Brighton are the top scorers in the Premier League, and this was another hugely impressive result after already beating Aston Villa 4-0, reigning champions Arsenal 3-0 and 5-0 away at Coventry City.
It was also their biggest win over Palace since a 5-0 success on 14 January, 1956. That victory came when both sides were in the old Division Three South.
