A L B I O N G A Z E T T E - ( xxxvii )
11 APRIL 2026
BURNLEY 0 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 2
PREMIER LEAGUE
at TURF MOOR, BURNLEY.
Following a three-week break, the Albion resumed their Premier League programme with a trip to the North-East to meet relegation-threatened Burnley at Turf Moor, the game being broadcast by BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
Albion's previous outing saw them beat Liverpool 2-1 in the Premier at the Amex on the 21 March and for their trip to Burnley the Albion made two changes to their starting line-up from the Liverpool game, with Olivier Boscagli and Yasin Ayari coming in for Lewis Dunk (suspended) and James Milner (injured).
Dunk was serving the first of a two-match suspension after picking up ten yellow cards this season. Missing from the touchline was Head Coach Fabian Hurzeler as a result of collecting six yellow cards this campaign and he will also be missing from the touchline for the visit to Tottenham Hotspur next weekend.
Burnley had gained promotion to the Premier last season but had endured a poor campaign and were permanently placed in the relegation zone. In the reverse fixture at the Amex on the 3 January 2026 it finished 2-0 to the Albion, with their goals coming from Georginio Rutter (29m) and Yasin Ayari (47m).
Last time out Burnley had lost 1-3 at Fulham in the Premier on the 21 March and for Albion's visit Head Coach Scott Parker made four changes to his starting line-up from the Fulham game, with Hjalmar Ekdal, Luis Florentino, Marcus Edwards and Lesley Oguchukwu replacing Kyle Walker, Josh Laurent, Lyle Foster and Hannibal Mejbri.
The match started in the wind and rain and Albion created an early opportunity when Yankuba Minteh's surging run down the left ended with a pass to Danny Welbeck whose tame effort was easily held by Claret's keeper Martin Dubravka. The home side thought they had taken the lead when Jaidon Anthony's fine finish was chalked off for offside following a VAR check.
The Seagulls then created and squandered a number of chances when Jack Hinshelwood teed up Minteh but the winger failed to convert, then Bashir Humphreys blocked Minteh's shot and Danny Welbeck's effort trickled wide of the post.
The Albion deservedly took the lead on 43 minutes when Pascal Gross's exquisite low cross from the left was met by the on-running Mats Wieffer in the area and whose superb shot flashed into the Burnley net for Albion's opener. 1-0.
There was still time for Seagulls to miss a great chance of scoring a second goal when Hinshelwood steered a shot wide from Welbeck's pass.
Half-time 1-0.
The first action of the second-half saw Burnley have another goal ruled out when VAR decided that Bashir Humphreys was offside when scoring. The Clarets then went close when a shot from Marcus Edwards cleared the crossbar. At the other end a slick Albion move involving Minteh and Gross ended with Dubravka making a fine save to deny Hinshelwood.
The Seagulls clinched victory on 89 minutes when Yasin Ayari's pass found Wieffer on the edge of the box and the Dutchman fired home a fine left-foot shot to clinch the three points for the Seagulls. 2-0. The Albion saw out the closing minutes comfortably.
Final-score 2-0.
Match stats:
The Albion had 13 attempts at goal, with 6 on target and won 2 corners, free-kicks conceded - 11.
Burnley had 10 attempts at goal, with 5 on target and won 8 corners, free-kicks conceded - 7.
SUMMARY - Albion's revival continued with their fifth Premier League win out of six. The European football dream for next season has been re-kindled and if achieved would be remarkable. Mats Wieffer, with two goals was the star at Burnley.
Next up, a trip to Tottenham Hotspur next weekend, now managed by former Albion Head Coach Roberto De Zerbi.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Bart VERBRUGGEN; Mats WIEFFER, Jan Paul VAN HECKE, Olivier BOSCAGLI, Ferdi KADIOGLU; Yasin AYARI, Pascal GROSS; Diego GOMEZ (Joel VELTMAN 88), Jack HINSHELWOOD (Carlos BALEBA 75), Yankuba MINTEH (Kaoru MITOMA 80); Danny WELBECK (Capt) (Georginio RUTTER 75).
Subs not used: Jason STEELE (G/K), Maxim DE CUYPER, Igor JULIO, Solly MARCH, Charalampos KOSTOULAS.
Burnley line-up (4-2-3-1):- Martin DUBRAVKA; Bashir HUMPHREYS (Kyle WALKER 82), Hjalmar EKDAL, Maxime ESTEVE (Capt), Quilindechy HARTMAN (Lucas PIRES 82); James WARD-PROWSE, Luis FLORENTINO (Amando BROJA 82); Marcus EDWARDS (Mike TRESOR 75), Lesley OGUCHUKWU (Jacob BRUUN LARSEN 67), Jaidon ANTHONY; Zian FLEMMING.
Subs not used: Max WEISS (G/K), Joe WORRALL, Lourn TCHAOUNA, Lyle FOSTER.
Referee: Thomas Bramall (Sheffield).
Fourth Official: Robert Jones.
VAR Official: Peter Bankes.
Yellow Cards: Albion: 1 - Jan Paul Van Hecke. Burnley: 2 - Maxime Esteve, Luis Florentino.
Possession: Albion - 50%. Burnley - 50%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Mats Wieffer (Albion).
Attendance: 20408.
NEXT GAME:
18 APRIL 2026 - TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR - AWAY - PREMIER LEAGUE -
KICK-OFF 17.30. "LIVE" ON SKY SPORTS.
Jack Kaye.