Brighton vs Burnley preview, team news, kick-off
Neal Maupay back in contention for Brighton with Solly March set to be assessed; Burnley captain Ben Mee could feature for the first time since June; follow Brighton vs Burnley in our dedicated live blog with highlights published shortly after the final whistle
Friday 6 November 2020 11:29, UK
Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Brighton vs Burnley in the Premier League on Friday; kick-off 5.30pm.
Team news
Brighton striker Neal Maupay is back in contention for Friday's Premier League clash against Burnley at the Amex Stadium. The Frenchman was omitted for last week's defeat at Tottenham after a disciplinary issue.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh is hoping to return after a hamstring injury and Solly March, who came off in the second half against Spurs with an ankle injury, will be assessed. Mat Ryan will hope to win back his place in goal from Robert Sanchez.
Burnley captain Ben Mee is closing in on a return and could feature on the south coast. The centre-back has not played since the end of June because of a thigh injury but featured in a training-ground match last week and is now injury-free.
Phil Bardsley also played in that game after being sidelined by a positive Covid-19 test and Johann Berg Gudmundsson (calf) has a chance of being fit. However, Jack Cork (ankle) and Erik Pieters (calf) are still out.
How to follow
Brighton vs Burnley will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Box Office; kick-off at 12pm.
Follow Brighton vs Burnley in our dedicated live match blog. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.
Jones Knows' prediction
Brighton remind me of a jigsaw puzzle.
I just cannot figure them out. And, they go to pieces in the box.
According to all the key metrics, their performance levels are that of a team that should be aiming for a top-10 finish yet they have taken just five points from their opening seven matches. Going further back, they have won just four games this calendar year - that is the fewest wins of the 17 ever-present Premier League sides.
More worryingly, there's signs their attacking process is now malfunctioning. In the last three halves of football, they have created a total xG figure of just 0.32. When you add it all up, they are simply unbackable at odds-on, even against winless Burnley, who were still short of their best at Chelsea last weekend.
This is the seventh time Sean Dyche has gone seven or more matches without a win in the Premier League as Burnley boss but he's always come out the other side. Is this the game where it turns?
Brighton - still without the suspended Lewis Dunk - have conceded the most goals from set-pieces this season and both the goals conceded from open play without Dunk have come via crosses. That's an area Burnley will target. With Ben Mee back, I'm happy to row in with an away win at the prices.
JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 0-1 (11/1 with Sky Bet)
Opta stats
- Brighton have won just one of their six Premier League meetings with Burnley (D3 L2), though it was in their last such game against them, winning 2-1 on the final day of the 2019-20 campaign.
- Burnley are unbeaten in their last four away league games against Brighton since a 0-2 loss in August 2013. However, three of these four visits have ended level (W1).
- Brighton have won just one of their last 12 Premier League home games (D5 L6), and are winless in their last seven at the Amex Stadium since their 2-1 win against Arsenal back in June.
- Burnley's one point from their six Premier League games this season is their worst return at this stage of a campaign in their league history. They last failed to win any of their first seven games in a campaign in 2014-15, when they were relegated.
- Both Brighton and Burnley have conceded around six goals more than expected based on their xG against figures so far in the Premier League season (Brighton - 7.8 xGA, 14 goals conceded, Burnley - 6 xGA, 12 goals conceded). Indeed, only Liverpool have a higher negative difference this term (8.3 xGA, 15 goals conceded).
- No side has had fewer shots on target in the Premier League than Burnley this season (18), with the Clarets failing to trouble the keeper once in their 0-3 defeat to Chelsea last time out.
Pitch to Post Preview: Carragher, Bruce and more
Jamie Carragher and Steve Bruce are among the guests on this week's Pitch to Post Preview Podcast.
Sky Sports pundit Carragher joins Peter Smith and Adam Bate to look ahead to the big Super Sunday clash between Man City and Liverpool, while Steve Bruce is on the line to discuss Newcastle's Friday Night Football trip to Southampton and the form of star striker Callum Wilson.
Also on the show we analyse how Chelsea have turned around their defensive problems, how Leicester have coped with injury problems, and Adam makes a bold Pitch.
Listen to the Sky Sports Pitch to Post Podcast on: Spotify | Apple | Castbox
