Brighton & Hove Albion finally halted a six-match winless run in the Premier League with a commanding 2-0 victory over relegation-threatened Burnley at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, 3rd January 2026.
Seagulls Soar on a Frigid Afternoon
The result, achieved on a bitterly cold afternoon in Sussex, propelled Brighton up to eighth place in the table. In stark contrast, Scott Parker's Burnley saw their desperate wait for a top-flight win extend to a dismal 11 games, leaving them second-bottom and six points adrift of safety.
Both sides entered the fixture in poor form. The Seagulls had managed just three points from a possible 18 in December, while the Clarets' woes stretched back to October, with only two points from their last 30.
Rutter and Ayari Seal the Points
Brighton, who made four changes from their midweek draw at West Ham, thought they had an early lead through Charalampos Kostoulas, but his 10th-minute effort was ruled out for a marginal offside. The hosts' dominance was finally rewarded in the 29th minute. After a deflected effort from Yasin Ayari, the ball fell kindly to Georginio Rutter, who slammed home his second goal of the season from a tight angle.
Burnley, who have now failed to win any of their last 40 Premier League matches when conceding first, almost snatched an equaliser just before half-time. Lucas Pires's low drive was well saved by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
That miss proved costly as Brighton doubled their lead just two minutes after the restart. Capitalising on a costly error by Burnley midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu, Yasin Ayari sidestepped a defender and drilled a precise finish into the bottom corner.
Clarets' Late Rally Falls Short
The visitors' best chance to get back into the game came in the 67th minute. Substitute Loum Tchaouna headed towards an open goal after Verbruggen flapped at a corner, but Ferdi Kadioglu produced a miraculous goal-line clearance, heading the ball onto his own crossbar.
Brighton introduced returning fan favourite Pascal Gross for the final 19 minutes to a rapturous reception, and fellow substitute Maxim De Cuyper later rattled the post with a curling free-kick. Burnley offered little in response as Brighton registered their first ever Premier League home win against the Clarets at the seventh attempt.
The comprehensive victory provides a major boost for Brighton's European aspirations, while Burnley's situation grows increasingly perilous with each passing week.
