Brighton 2-0 Burnley: Georginio Rutter and Yasin Ayari goals end winless run for Seagulls but Clarets' poor form continues
Report and free match highlights as goals from Georginio Rutter and Yasin Ayari give Brighton 2-0 win over Burnley at Amex Stadium to end six-game winless streak; Clarets' run of 11 games without a victory is now the longest in the Premier League
Saturday 3 January 2026 17:54, UK
Brighton ended their six-game run without a victory with a 2-0 win over Burnley whose 11-match winless spell is now the longest in the Premier League.
The Seagulls were good value for their victory at the Amex with Burnley managing just a solitary shot on target before half-time, though once Scott Parker turned to his bench substitute Loum Tchaouna saw an effort cleared off the goal-line and onto the bar from a corner.
Without that unlikely comeback, coupled with Wolves' stunning 3-0 win over West Ham at Molineux, Scott Parker's side are now on the longest run without a win in the Premier League having not tasted victory since beating Leeds on October 18 last year.
"As a team, we are weak, we are not there. We have a lack of belief, this game is not good. I think we're all a bit embarrassed," Burnley defender Hjalmar Ekdal told Sky Sports.
"It's difficult to put it on one thing but the mindset and character of us all on the pitch, the duels, everything - how we fight, how we go through the game. We can all see we're not really there, we're not in the game."
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Brighton had looked in full control for much of the game and were well worth their two-goal cushion which had been won through goals from Georginio Rutter and Yasin Ayari.
Rutter started and finished the move which led to his opener, with a half-cleared cross deflecting back into his path from which a powerful effort beat Martin Dubravka into the far corner.
Burnley managed just a single shot on target before half-time but were still in the game at 1-0 - but faced an uphill struggle of their own making within 68 seconds of the restart.
Lesley Ugochukwu's attempted square ball across his own box was intercepted by Ayari, who skipped away from Florentino before beating Dubravka again with a sweetly-struck second.
The introduction of Marcus Edwards briefly reinvigorated Burnley, with Tchouana's effort from Lucas Pires' corner soon cleared off the line and turned onto the bar by Ferdi Kadioglu.
But it was too little, too late even by then as Brighton held on for a comfortable victory to move eighth in the table - and just five points off fourth-placed Liverpool.
Their afternoon was buoyed further by a second debut for 34-year-old Pascal Gross, who came on for the final 20 minutes to a rapturous reception from the home support.
"It was really nice, the lads had done a good job to go 2-0 up before I came on so it was nice to come on and get the win," he told Sky Sports.
"But it's been an incredibly emotional two days with the signing and today the first home game. It's something really special, and I'm glad we got the win."
Parker backs Ekdal over lack of belief
Burnley head coach Scott Parker to Sky Sports:
"We were poor in every aspect. The biggest thing was I felt it was a team that lacked belief. That's not something I could've said before, while of course results have not gone our way over the last few weeks - there's been a consistent there, whereas today that wasn't the case.
"You can lose games in this division, but our general play and demeanour was one we need to fix up quickly."
Hurzeler: You have to make your own luck
Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler to Sky Sports:
"It wasn't a great game but a good performance. Overall, we're pleased with the performance.
"The luck doesn't come to you, you have to do the small bits right. How we scored was a little bit lucky but [Rutter] deserved it because he kept pushing, he was always there.
"We realised that the fans love [Pascal Gross]! He proved some great things in the past but now we have to focus on the present."
