Brighton face Burnley at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, with both clubs trying to halt worrying winless runs in the Premier League. Scott Parker’s side sit 19th, six points from safety, while Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton remain stronger at home but have also struggled for victories in recent weeks.
Burnley reached the end of 2025 with a 3-1 home defeat against Newcastle United, stretching their winless Premier League sequence to 10 matches. That run includes eight losses and two draws, with only Wolves, on 23 games without victory, enduring a longer current sequence in the division.
Despite Burnley’s position and poor run, Parker stressed that the squad will keep battling to preserve their Premier League place. The trip to Brighton marks Burnley’s first
league match of 2026, and Parker wants the performance against Newcastle, which contained some positives, to be a base for improvement rather than another setback.
Parker highlighted both flaws and encouragement after the Newcastle loss, pointing to issues in both penalty areas. "Of course, there's faults in our gamebits of quality in the final moments and the way we conceded goalsand we have to sharpen up," said Parker, who felt the margin of defeat did not match the display.
Parker accepted the result but questioned how accurately the 3-1 scoreline reflected Burnley’s efforts. "I'm weak in my words because we've again lost a game despite so many positives. It goes down as a 3-1 loss on paper, but it doesn't feel like that was a fair reflection. The fight goes on. We'll keep nailing down where we need to improve, and keep doing the good things we're doing to keep going. "
Heres how the Clarets begin 2026 pic.twitter.com/XFe2kmrkrgBurnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) January 1, 2026
Brighton also arrive without recent league success, having drawn 2-2 with West Ham in their last outing to extend their own winless sequence to six games. Danny Welbeck converted one first-half penalty in that match, but then struck the crossbar with a Panenka attempt from the spot later in the opening period.
Hurzeler defended Welbeck’s choice from twelve yards and stressed the forward’s wider contribution this season. "I don't need to speak to him. He makes the decisions, and we support him," said Hurzeler. "If he scores, everyone says 'what a great penalty'. As a striker, you always have to make decisions, and he made so many good decisions. He has helped us so much this seasonwe keep pushing together. "
Special memories inpic.twitter.com/zhSw6vu76KBrighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) January 1, 2026
Brighton vs Burnley Premier League players to watch
Brighton have relied heavily on goals from defenders in recent weeks. Three of their last six Premier League goals, excluding own goals, have come from defenders, with Jan Paul van Hecke scoring twice and Joel Veltman adding another. Van Hecke now has three league goals this season, surpassing his combined total of one from the previous three campaigns.
Burnley’s main attacking threat remains Zian Flemming, who leads the club’s Premier League scoring charts this season with five goals. However, the 27-year-old has gone three league appearances without scoring and missed the Newcastle defeat due to a knock, leaving Parker hoping Flemming can return and rediscover form at Brighton.
Brighton vs Burnley Premier League head-to-head and Opta prediction
Brighton’s recent Premier League record against Burnley is strong, with just one defeat in their last eight meetings, winning two and drawing five. That single loss was a 3-0 home reverse in February 2022. Under Hurzeler, Brighton have also built consistency at the Amex, losing only one of their last 13 league home fixtures.
The Seagulls’ only home league defeat in that period came in December, a 4-3 loss to Aston Villa. Historically, Brighton tend to start calendar years well, having lost their opening league game in only one of the last 16 years, a 1-0 home defeat to Wolves in the Championship on 1 January 2016.
Burnley, though, have enjoyed previous trips to Brighton, staying unbeaten in their last seven away league matches against the Seagulls. That sequence, stretching back to August 2013, includes two wins and five draws, and Burnley have never lost a Premier League game at the Amex Stadium, recording two victories and four draws there.
The Clarets’ record in first league games of a calendar year is less favourable, with just two wins from their last 11 such fixtures, alongside four draws and five defeats. Both of those victories came away from home, against Huddersfield Town in 2019 and Swansea City in 2023, offering some encouragement before travelling to Brighton.
OPTA’s model gives Brighton a clear statistical edge over Burnley for this match. The projections reflect the clubs’ respective league positions, recent form and home advantage for Hurzeler’s team.
| Outcome | Opta win probability |
|---|---|
| Brighton win | 67.5% |
| Draw | 17.9% |
| Burnley win | 14.6% |
Burnley approach the Brighton fixture under pressure but with clear areas for improvement identified by Parker. Brighton, meanwhile, lean on a strong home record and contributions from defenders, yet carry their own winless stretch, leaving both clubs searching for a result that could shape the early weeks of 2026.
