Brighton Must Keep Pushing After Ending Winless Run, Hurzeler Says

Brighton ended a run of six Premier League games without victory by beating Burnley 2-0, easing pressure and moving into the top half of the table, while Burnley stayed six points from safety after another defeat deepened relegation concerns.

The result continued Brighton’s strong form at the American Express Stadium, where Brighton have now lost just once in 14 league matches. That home record under Fabian Hurzeler has helped stabilise Brighton’s season, despite the previous seven-game spell without a league win before this Burnley match.

Georginio Rutter opened the scoring after a clever move involving Charalampos Kostoulas, before Yasin Ayari added the second to secure Brighton’s first league win in seven attempts. Burnley rarely threatened,

and Brighton controlled long spells, creating several further chances while limiting Scott Parker’s side to isolated moments.

Fabian Hurzeler felt satisfied but not fully content with the performance, stressing the need for higher standards. "We played a good game. It was not a great game, but a good performance," he told Sky Sports. "We scored goals, kept a clean sheet, worked quite well against the ball, and made some more chances, so overall, we are pleased with the performance today.

"We all know there are still things we can improve, so we have to keep on pushing. " Hurzeler highlighted Brighton’s defensive work and structure as crucial factors, while also pointing to missed opportunities in attack. "We kept a clean sheet and deserved to win. " The head coach made clear that Brighton must build on this result rather than relax.

Charalampos Kostoulas made history for Brighton with a first Premier League start, aged 18 years and 218 days, becoming the youngest Greek player to start a Premier League match. Kostoulas had a goal disallowed for offside but also provided the assist for Rutter’s opener, capping a lively display in attack.

Hurzeler outlined how Kostoulas earned selection through work on the training pitch and improvement over recent months. "He needed to adapt to the intensity, but we saw from the beginning a young player with good potential," the Brighton boss added.He did well. He used every training session, he kept pushing and developing, and he deserved to start today.

pic.twitter.com/e311WL74wTBrighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) January 3, 2026

Burnley Premier League struggles and Parker verdict

Defeat left Burnley with nine losses in their last 11 league fixtures, and pressure increasing on Scott Parker as Burnley try to avoid relegation. Parker criticised the team’s mentality and overall display, admitting Brighton were superior and that Burnley showed little conviction throughout the match at the American Express Stadium.

Parker delivered a blunt assessment of Burnley’s level. "We were poor in every aspect," he said.The biggest thing for me is that I felt it was a team that lacked belief. I would be clutching [at straws] if I stood here and said: 'We missed a chance at the end of the first half, or that we hit the bar in the second and could have got the game to 2-1'. We were never in this game today. We were poor on many, many levels. In this division, you can lose games, but the way that we lost today and our general play, our general demeanour is one that we need to fix up quick.

The January transfer window could give Burnley an opportunity to adjust the squad, though Parker warned that any moves must fit existing numbers and financial realities. On possible signings, he said: "Maybe that could be the case for us, but there are loads of dynamics to that. There is a big squad here as it is. I'm sure we will be active, or at least try to be active to strengthen and improve. With the injuries we have, we might need to. You go into the season knowing that the window is coming up, and you'll need to be reactive to what you're seeing, the circumstances of the team, how the team are performing, injuries. That is what January brings, and we will see what we can and can't do. "

Brighton gained renewed confidence from a composed home display, with Rutter, Ayari and Kostoulas central to the win, while Hurzeler still demands more progress. Burnley, six points from safety after another defeat, face increasing pressure to respond quickly, whether through tactical changes, renewed belief, or targeted January recruitment.