Mats Wieffer’s surprise brace aided Brighton’s push for European qualification and sent Burnley even closer to relegation in a 2-0 affair at Turf Moor on Saturday.
WATCH — Burnley v Brighton full match replay
Wieffer had not scored this season but bagged goals with each foot late in each half as the Seagulls moved onto 46 points, one behind sixth-place Brentford and seventh-place Everton.
Burnley deteriorated as the game progressed and are now 12 points back of 17th place. The Clarets can only take 18 more points this season if they win all six games left on their Premier League fixture list.
Burnley stuck in no man’s land
Burnley aren’t putrid, and aren’t going to go down as a terrible team. They simply illustrate how difficult it is to get promoted and climb over teams with the headstart of at least one more years in the Premier League. Scott Parker won’t lose too many players this summer should he stay at the helm and the Clarets will likely be expected to come right back up, but they haven’t gotten any luck — look at today’s “half-a-kneecap” offside call to deny an opening goal — and don’t have the sort of finisher who will keep you in the discussion of safety. Zian Flemming has seven goals and Jaidon Anthony eight. They’ve been fine but they need to be the Robin to a star’s Batman, and the Clarets don’t defend well. Actually, they don’t defend much at all as Martin Dubravka has kept them in a fair few games. Maybe a full year with James Ward-Prowse would’v changed things, who knows? But if most of he, Quilindischy Hartman, Kyle Walker, Anthony, Josh Cullen, Lesley Ugochukwu, and a few others are willing to stick around, they can try again in one year’s time.
What’s next?
Brighton go to Spurs at 12:30pm ET Saturday, while Burnley are off to Nottingham Forest at 9am ET the next day.
Burnley vs Brighton final score: 0-2
Mats Wieffer 43', 89'
Mats Wieffer goal — Burnley 0-2 Brighton
Mitoma wins a 50/50 near the top of the box and pushes the ball onto the path of Wieffer, who belts home to complete his brace.
One more Seagulls sub
Joel Veltman is on for Diego Gomez in the 88th as Brighton seek to see this out.
Burnley subs
Kyle Walker comes in for Humphreys and will move up the all-time PL appearances list. Lucas Pires replaces Quilindischy Hartman and Armando Broja slides in for Florentino Luis in the 82nd minute.
Brighton sub
Kaoru Mitoma enters for Minteh in the 80th minute.
Subs
Welbeck and Hinshelwood exit the game for Brighton in the 75th minute, as Georginio Rutter and Carlos Baleba come into the fray.
Mike Tresor gets into the game for Burnley in place of Marcus Edwards a few minutes after Jacob Bruun Larsen came into the game for Ugochukwu.
Dubravka keeps it 1-0
Brighton move the ball well and Minteh lays off for Hinshelwood, who has a half-step on his marker and passes toward the right corner.
Dubravka gets low quickly to slap the shot away from goal in the 65th minute.
Bashir Humphreys offside goal
This is initially offside but we’re going to ahead and say this will count.
And we are wrong.
James Ward-Prowse’s free kick is knocked onto the path of Bashir Humphreys, who is ruled offside despite appearing to be level with the man at the front of the line of defenders.
Halftime — Burnley 0-1 Brighton
There will be a question for Scott Parker after leaving right back Kyle Walker out of the team for just the third time this season (one was for a suspension).
Bashir Humphreys hasn’t been bad over there — Marcus Edwards is the right winger further up the flank — but the joy continued on that side even after the goal.
Shot attempts are 5-5 and Burnley have had the best chances but their defense was slow to react to Gross’ cross on the goal and their defending has been their fatal flaw this season.
Mats Wieffer goal — Burnley 0-1 Brighton
The Seagulls go in front and it’s fittingly a pass from Pascal Gross on the left that delivers the invitation.
Wieffer gets onto the end of the ball as it makes its way low through the 18 at a medium pace. He turns it inside the post for 1-0 just before halftime.
Dangerous free kick for Brighton
The Seagulls have taken hold of the game and win a free kick about a half-dozen yards outside the 18.
They run a set play and the ball takes two deflections before being collected by Martin Dubravka.
Anti-climactic.
0-0, 33'.
Good start for the Clarets in a downpour
A pair of James Ward-Prowse corners are denied by Brighton moments after Jaidon Anthony has the ball in the goal but is confirmed by VAR to be an ankle offside.
0-0, 11'
Burnley lineup
Dubravka, Hartman, Esteve, Humphreys, Florentino, Ekdal, Ugochukwu, Ward-Prowse, Flemming, Edwards, Anthony
Brighton lineup
Verbruggen, Kadioglu, Boscagli, Van Hecke, Wieffer, Ayari, Gross, Hinshelwood, Gomez, Minteh, Welbeck
Burnley vs Brighton preview
The Clarets open the weekend 10 points back of safety with just 21 left to gain, though they have three still-not-safe teams on their fixture list in Nottingham Forest, Leeds, and Wolves.
WATCH — Burnley v Brighton
Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton are working toward bigger goals up the table after winning four of their last five games including recent back-to-back triumphs over Sunderland and Liverpool.
The Seagulls’ 43 points have them 10th on the table and within a win of seventh-place Brentford and eighth-place Everton. Their plus-4 goal differential is seventh best in the division and puts them in a fine position if they can handle their business and maybe even hammer out a multi-goal win in matches like this affair in Lancashire.
Burnley team news, focus
OUT: Josh Laurent (suspension), Axel Tuanzebe (calf), Josh Cullen (knee), Zeki Amdouni (knee), Jordan Beyer (hamstring), Connor Roberts (lower leg) | QUESTIONABLE: Hannibal Mejbri (hamstring), Mike Tresor (ankle)
Brighton team news, focus
OUT: Lewis Dunk (suspension), Adam Webster (knee), Stefanos Tzimas (unspecified)
Burnley vs Brighton prediction
A win here for the hosts would reignite hope of a still far-off safety run, as Burnley have managed just two points from their last five matches since a thrilling win at Crystal Palace. The Seagulls have been unlucky in front of goal but have got the rub of the green in their own end this season. Scoring against Burnley, however, hasn’t been a problem for many this season, and the Clarets have only been a little better at home than away. Burnley 0-2 Brighton.
How to watch Burnley vs Brighton live, stream link, and start time
Kick off time: 10am ET Saturday
Venue: Turf Moor — Burnley, Lancashire
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock
