Brighton & Hove Albion

Adwaidh Rajan
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton's 2-0 triumph over Burnley in January was their only win in 13 league matches between 30 November and 21 February, and offered little more than a brief relief amid a worrying run of form.

But Friday's 2-1 win against the same opponents carried far greater weight and purpose as it kept the Seagulls firmly in contention for a place in Europe next season.

They have now won five of their last six matches and, more importantly, did not let their momentum drop after three weeks without a game in the international break, following a 2-1 win against reigning champions Liverpool.

With the congested nature of the table and confirmation of the Premier League having at least five teams in the Champions League next season, Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler will fancy his chances of guiding the club to only their second continental campaign.

He was forced to watch this game from the stands as he began a two-match touchline ban for accumulating six yellow cards this term.

But his side still delivered a performance that reflected the German manager's influence - playing with discipline, pressing high up the pitch and making the possession count.

Dutch defender Mats Wieffer, who only returned from a toe injury at the end of February, proved to be an unlikely hero, scoring his first league goals since a 1-1 draw at West Ham back on 21 December 2024.

Staying within reach of the top six has been quite an emphatic turnaround for Hurzeler and Brighton as they have found form at the right time.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Burnley's performance

What did you make of Brighton's display?

Come back on Sunday for a selection of your replies

Image source, BBC Sport

Burnley boss Scott Parkers makes four changes from a 3-1 defeat by Burnley before the international break.

Lesley Ugochukwu, Marcus Edwards, Hjalmar Ekdal and Florentino Luis all start ahead of Hannibal Mejbri, Kyle Walker, Lyle Foster and suspended Josh Laurent.

Burnley XI: Dubravka, Hartman, Esteve, Ugochukwu, Edwards, Anthony, Humphreys, Florentino, Ekdal, Flemming, Ward-Prowse

Subs: Weiss, Walker, Worrall, Larsen, Foster, Tchaouna, Pires, Broja, Tresor

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler, who will watch this game from the stands, has made two changes from the 2-1 win against Liverpool on 21 March.

Lewis Dunk is suspended, so Olivier Boscagli takes his place in the defence while Yasin Ayari comes in for James Milner.

Brighton XI: Verbruggen, Van Hecke, Minteh, Hinshelwood, Welbeck, Boscagli, Kadioglu, Gomez, Ayari, Wieffer, Gross

Subs: Steele, Julio, March, Rutter, Baleba, Kostoulas, Mitoma, De Cuyper, Veltman

Image source, BBC Sport

Brighton are another team who had hit a bit of form when the season paused.

After going through a sticky patch under Fabian Hurzeler, they have won four of their past five games - and I can see them winning this one too.

Burnley are always competitive, and you can see them digging in again at home, but that approach has not translated into many positive results.

As I've said for a while now, they are going down. It is more about what happens next season and whether they stick with manager Scott Parker to try to get them back up. Their fans don't appear to be convinced by him.

Sutton's prediction: 0-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

There are four games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Arsenal v Bournemouth (12:30)

• Brentford v Everton (15:00) - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Burnley v Brighton (15:00) - Listen on Sports Extra 2

• Liverpool v Fulham (17:30) - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times BST

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Brentford v Everton" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Liverpool v Fulham".

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

Matt Jones
BBC Sport journalist

Brighton can give their European chances a major boost on Saturday, as they face Burnley at Turf Moor (15:00 BST) in the Premier League.

The Seagulls have bounced back well in recent weeks after a tough start to the calendar year. Any slender concerns around relegation have been banished by a run of four wins in five games, including an impressive 2-1 win against Liverpool last time out. They go into the weekend in 10th, just three points off the top seven.

As for Burnley, they are 10 points from safety with seven matches to play. It would take a remarkable turnaround in form for Scott Parker's side to pull themselves back into contention to stay up.

Burnley battling the inevitable

After a run of three draws and a win in all competitions in January, there was a small sense of Burnley building momentum. But their subsequent failure to kick on means relegation is almost certain at this stage.

Parker has been unable to find a formula that works at either end of the pitch this season. Up top, they have occasionally clicked into gear - albeit they have had the fewest shots (excluding blocked efforts) in the Premier League this season - but at the back they've consistently leaked goals.

Their total of 61 goals conceded is the highest of any team going into the weekend fixtures and in terms of style, Brighton do not appear to be an ideal match up.

The Seagulls rank first for high turnovers and only Tottenham Hotspur have faced more high turnovers than Burnley this season.

Still, in the past this fixture has been tight. Seven of the 13 Premier League meetings between Burnley and Brighton have been drawn, with both sides winning three. But at this stage, it feels like only wins will do for the Clarets.

Brighton bounce back

Losses to Crystal Palace and Aston Villa in February felt like they could have been the beginning of the end for Fabian Hurzeler at Brighton, with supporters unhappy and the team toiling. But they have recovered superbly.

A 2-0 win at Brentford sparked a major turnaround in fortunes, and such is the congested nature of the table that the Seagulls are suddenly well in the mix for a European place.

The team have definitely tightened up in that time and have relied on the scoring exploits of Danny Welbeck to give them an edge. His brace against Liverpool took him to 12 goals for the season, one behind Glenn Murray's Premier League record for Brighton of 13.

Welbeck is also enjoying one of the most prolific seasons for a player of his age in Premier League history.

Brighton have also relied on a veteran in midfield. James Milner started his first game of the calendar year in the narrow loss to Villa and has been in the XI for all four of the wins across the past five games; he missed the only defeat in that run, against Arsenal.

While there has naturally been a lot of focus on Milner recently breaking the Premier League appearance record, he can still have an impact on games too and can still mix it physically as a 40-year-old.

In the first three of those starts he covered 11.63 km against Brentford, 11.4 km against Nottingham Forest and 11.94 km against Sunderland, the fourth, third and second highest in each fixture respectively.

Millie Sian
BBC Sport journalist

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Burnley at Turf Moor (kick-off 15:00 BST).

You can listen to his comments by pressing play above or here on BBC Sounds

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Fabian Hurzeler and Lewis Dunk will serve out suspensions over the next few games, but there are "a lot of other leaders who can solve that gap on and off the pitch". He explained: "My assistant team have stepped in before and done an incredible job. We also have really good options to replace Lewis [Dunk]. I'm quite confident the whole team is strong enough to handle this well."

• In terms of injury news, there is nothing to report. Jack Hinshelwood is fit, despite pulling out of the recent England Under-21 camp.

• Danny Welbeck is feeling "very relaxed, very focused and very sharp" following the three-week break. The 35-year-old "seems to be in a very good place" heading into the home straight of the season.

• Adam Webster is "doing really well" in his recovery from a serious ACL knee injury picked up during a pre-season training camp back in July 2025. He is currently in rehabilitation alongside team-mate Stefanos Tzimas.

• He explained: "When there's a long road ahead, there are certain moments when you can feel lonely or depressed, so we always try to have people around them to create a good environment. I'm a big believer that when you have a positive mind, rehabilitation goes much quicker and recovery goes much better."

• The Seagulls used the international break to "reflect, analyse and switch off a little bit" before starting to prepare for the final run-in.

• On whether his side need to treat these last seven games as cup finals, he said: "We need to have that attitude. We have to play each game like it is the final game of the season now."

• He revealed that Brighton women's manager Dario Vidosic has been helping out with the men's training sessions over the past few days: "It felt like he was already part of us because he was so helpful, he was sharing his opinions, and he joined us on the pitch and in our meetings."

• On shutting down the rumours linking him to Bayer Leverkusen, he said: "It would take a lot to get me away from this place. I feel this is a long-term project which can be very successful." Hurzeler believes the club's foundation is "really strong and really good" and he is keen to "build something" with the Seagulls.

• He added: "I didn't get too emotionally involved with the criticism from the fans, I was open to it. I shared my emotions with them, they shared their emotions with me - and that has created a bond."

• Jan Paul van Hecke, who could make his 100th Premier League appearance on Saturday, is "definitely seen as a future club captain". Hurzeler believes this season the centre-back has "improved his consistency, his work out of possession, his commitment to get forward, how he defends athletic players, and how he keeps to the defensive shape".

Listen to live commentary of Burnley v Brighton on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 from 14:55 BST on Saturday afternoon.

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Got a question about Brighton? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts

The Premier League's return this weekend brings trepidation for some and excitement for others.

Football's emotional rollercoaster becomes intense at this time of year, unless of course mid-table mediocrity has taken a grip of things in recent months.

So how are you feeling as a Brighton fan with just a handful of weeks left to go?

The league form reads: LWWLWW

The next three league fixtures are: Burnley (a), Tottenham (a) and Chelsea (h)

Let us know how you're feeling here

Scott McCarthy
Fan writer

Image source, PA Media

Cast your mind back 12 months to the March 2025 international break. Brighton sat one point off fifth and with a winnable home FA Cup quarter-final against Nottingham Forest to play. Tony Bloom was interviewed at the Cheltenham Festival and said April and May represented potentially the biggest two months in Albion history.

Brighton lost on penalties to Forest in their first game back in action. The next four Premier League matches resulted in three defeats and a solitary draw against soon-to-be relegated Leicester City, rescued only by two Joao Pedro penalties.

That run of form returning from a two-week break dashed European dreams and hopes of Wembley. And it is not the only time it has happened under Fabian Hurzeler.

There was a three-match winless run in the Premier League in September 2024. Two months later, Brighton beat Bournemouth after the November break but then went eight games without another victory, including six draws.

This season, two successive wins after the November break were followed by a run of one league win in 13.

For whatever reason, Hurzeler and the Albion sometimes struggle to put together results when they have lost the momentum which comes through competitive football.

Which is somewhat of a concern given Brighton last kicked a ball three weeks ago thanks to the latest round of March internationals and no Premier League matches taking place on this season's FA Cup quarter-final weekend.

Four wins from five matches, with the only defeat in that sequence being a controversial reversal to champions elect Arsenal, has turned the Seagulls' campaign around from when Hurzeler was told by the home crowd he was getting sacked in the morning after the shambolic 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace.

A turnaround good enough to have sparked talk of Europe. But a top-eight finish will only happen if Hurzeler can stop Brighton turning to jelly after three weeks' inaction. The Albion can ill afford one victory from their remaining matches if Hurzeler is to secure an unlikely return to continental competition.

Find more from Scott McCarthy at We Are Brighton, external

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

The Premier League will have at least five teams in the Champions League next season after securing a European Performance Spot for the second straight year.

The extra place was confirmed on Tuesday as Arsenal beat Sporting 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

Uefa awards an additional place to the two leagues with the best overall performance across the three European competitions.

The race for fifth place in the Premier League, currently held by Liverpool on 49 points, is exceptionally tight.

Just seven points separate Arne Slot's side from 13th-placed Bournemouth.

Chelsea (48) sit in sixth followed by Brentford (46), Everton (46), Fulham (44), Brighton (43), Sunderland (43), Newcastle (42) and Bournemouth (42).

If Aston Villa, who are fourth on 54 points, win the Europa League and finish outside the top four, the Premier League would have six teams in the Champions League.

The same logic applies to Liverpool, who face Paris St-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday.

If either win a European trophy and finish fifth, then sixth would qualify for the Champions League via the EPS place.

If both win European trophies and finish fifth and sixth, that would put seventh into the Champions League.

Nottingham Forest are in the quarter-finals of the Europa League. They could emulate Tottenham by winning the competition and finishing in the bottom half of the table.

Just like last season, that would create a sixth team in the Champions League for the Premier League too.

Image source, PA Media

On the latest episode of Albion Unlimited from BBC Radio Sussex, the panel discussed Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma's season so far.

Mitoma has been a vital figure in Brighton's success over previous seasons but has netted only twice for the Seagulls in the Premier League this term.

He did, however, score Japan's winner against England in the recent friendly at Wembley.

Johnny Cantor said: "I think in the past couple of games he's looked really fresh and I think that's partly because of the form of Yankuba Minteh, who has been playing in his position on the left. Maybe a bit of competition for places has given him a little bit of edge because he wants to get back into the side.

"He's coming to a bit of a crossroads. He's 29 in May so where does he go from here? Two goals and one assist in the Premier League is not what you want from a player who is so key in the way Brighton play.

"The way he started that goal [against England], he robbed possession initially in the build-up and was there to finish it, and we haven't seen enough of that.

"He is good defensively and he does do his defensive work, but I think there's more to come."

Cantor added: "Ferdi Kadioglu has been great, probably the most consistent Albion player this season, but he's different to Pervis Estupinan [at left-back] and maybe starting a new partnership has been a factor.

"Now that's coming to fruition and maybe in the final seven games he can go from strength to strength and recapture that form of last season."

Former Seagulls player Warren Aspinall added: "First of all the left-back situation before Christmas, he had so many different players with him. Then he got injured and he's not recovered fully, I don't think.

"Now he's got that understanding with Kadioglu, who is a natural left-back.

"It does take time to get over your injuries and that's testament to Brighton, they haven't just thrown him back in. Two more weeks off, a couple of half-games for Japan as well and he'll be champing at the bit for Saturday [at Burnley]."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

A new episode of BBC Radio Sussex's Albion Unlimited podcast is now available on BBC Sounds.

Robin Grey, Johnny Cantor and Warren Aspinall discuss Brighton's trip to Burnley, Jan Paul van Hecke's future at the club and Kaoru Mitoma's season so far.

Listen below by hitting the play button or head to BBC Sounds - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Explore all Brighton content on BBC Sounds

Listen to every Brighton game live on BBC Radio Sussex, with all the build-up and full commentary with Johnny Cantor and Warren Aspinall, and there is a full preview of all Seagulls' matches on Fridays at 18:00 in The Weekend Warm-up

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Brighton chairman Tony Bloom has paid tribute to long-standing board members Ray Bloom and Peter Godfrey after they confirmed they will retire from the club's main board at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Ray Bloom, Tony's uncle, has served as a director for 42 years - the longest in the club's history - and will be recognised with the title of honorary life president of the club, joining former chairman Dick Knight.

Godfrey has spent 16 years as a director focusing on the clubs' commercial journey and was a key figure behind the American Express Stadium naming rights deal.

"Ray and Peter have given so much to this football club for so many years, and we owe both a huge debt of gratitude," Seagulls chairman Bloom said on the departures.

"Like me, Ray has the Albion in his DNA, as he inherited that same love for the club, from his father, my grandfather Harry. I know my grandfather would be immensely proud of what Ray has done for our club.

"Few will know that his loyalty, humility and quiet determination, alongside others, helped keep the club alive when times were incredibly tough, and his ideas and initiatives continue to benefit us today.

"Peter has been a trusted voice around the boardroom table for many years. His experience, perspective and sheer presence have helped guide the club through some of its biggest moments."

Long-serving non-executive directors Robert Comer and Adam Franks will become non-executive vice-chairs while Carina Bauer, currently chair of the club's Foundation and CEO of Brighton-based international travel event and exhibition business IMEX, will join the club's board as a non-executive director.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your questions on Brighton to ask our BBC Radio Sussex reporter Johnny Cantor over the international break.

In part the final part he focuses on Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler and the players currently injured and on loan who could force their way back into his squad.

Thomas asked: How do you think the quality of performances are this season compared to under Roberto de Zerbi? For me, too many games have come from poor performances and too many winnable games have resulted in defeats. Still not convinced by the current manager.

Johnny answered: Well Thomas that's certainly a difficult comparison to make over a lot of games. I think the team have played well in spells of games but have struggled to pull it together for whole matches on fewer occasions this season.

The style is different under Fabian Hurzeler and it has taken a more pragmatic approach to reap dividends in recent months. I think one thing to consider is that there were also a fair number of games under Roberto de Zerbi that underwhelmed but we tend to only recall the highs rather than the lows.

Albion have struggled to beat a few teams lower in the table with too many draws but the record against then bottom half reads W6 D7 L2 and there's still another five to go so could go both ways.

• Not a Brighton fan? Follow your Premier League club on BBC Sport

Richard asked: Of the players out on loan or long-term injured, e.g Webster, do you see a route to the first-team squad next season for any of them?

Johnny answered: Lewis Dunk has proved age is just a number when it comes to Albion centre-backs but there is no doubt everyone may need to be patient with Adam Webster as he returns from a season out. He is a quality player who was on the verge of the England squad so still has plenty to offer.

Brighton have lots of players on loan and many will get a chance to impress in pre-season. Carl Rushworth's future is still to be decided but as well as Brajan Gruda, Amario Cozier-Duberry and Malick Yalcouye have had decent spells this season. However, the number of Seagulls players heading to the World Cup shows the strength in depth and the difficulty of the task of breaking through.

Scroll down this page for parts one and two of Johnny's Q&A.

This is your Brighton page. Bookmark it, or if you're logged in on the BBC Sport app, press the bell icon at the top and select news alerts. If you're signed in on a browser, press 'follow' and you'll start seeing more United content when on the site.

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We asked for your questions on Brighton to ask our BBC Radio Sussex reporter Johnny Cantor over the international break.

In part two of three he focuses on Kaoru Mitoma's form and Fabian Hurzeler's use of attackers when defending set-pieces.

Ray asked: Hi Johnny, would you agree that Kaoru Mitoma has not been the same since Pervis Estupinan left? It is my feeling that Pervis took pressure off Mitoma with his overlaps taking defenders with him. Nobody goes past Mitoma now leaving him often facing 2 defenders.

Johnny answered: Hi Ray, I think there's probably a few factors to consider with Mitoma's form. The standard he had already set was very high! He has of course been trying to recover fully from that ankle injury.

However, there can be no doubt Mitoma and Estupinan had a great understanding. Partnerships take time to develop but Pervis certainly provided an added challenge for defenders with both over and under-lapping runs which in turn gave Mitoma more space. Too often it feels like he has two defenders to beat.

Ferdi Kadioglu probably doesn't get forward as much and is a different kind of player but I would say in recent weeks he has been progressive and has come close to scoring himself on a few occasions. He's arguably the club's most consistent performer this season. Given time Albion will be hoping they can work in tandem as a major attacking force.

• Subscribe to the Albion Unlimited podcast on BBC Sounds

Graham asked: When defending corners and some free-kicks, why doesn't Fabian put one or two attackers in advanced positions near the halfway line?

Johnny answered: Set-pieces have certainly been a major talking point in the Premier League this season. Liam Rosenior came under the spotlight when his Chelsea team suddenly took defenders out of the box against Arsenal to combat the inevitable onslaught from corners.

Does it work? The jury is still out. Danny Welbeck is a useful defender with his aerial power but I would say if Yankuba Minteh or Mitoma were hovering around the halfway line any opposing defender would be wary especially if Bart Verbruggen can produce good quick quality delivery up the pitch.

Keep across this page on Thursday for part three of Johnny's Q&A

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We asked for your questions on Brighton to ask our BBC Radio Sussex reporter Johnny Cantor over the international break.

In part one of three he focuses on transfer targets and the future of key central defender Jan Paul van Hecke.

Jason asked: Of the many alleged transfer targets who is the most likely to join?

Johnny answered: Yes Jason it seems the continuous stream of reports and rumours goes unabated. It is of course difficult to say for sure when it comes to transfers as things change so quickly but 19-year-old Koln winger Said El Mala is a name that seems to warrant interest as his name has been repeatedly mentioned.

He fits the age and profile of a Brighton signing. The difficulty for the Seagulls is that now they have a reputation for signing good prospects, other clubs are just waiting to pounce. Other teams have also now been linked to the German which is the challenge facing the Albion. The question being asked is 'if Brighton are interested, should we be too?'. One thing Brighton have done though is pursue targets over a long period of time and therefore the individual knows the interest is deep-rooted and is often more likely to be in the best interest for their future career.

• Not a Brighton fan? Follow your Premier League club on BBC Sport

Gerard asked: Jan Paul van Hecke has been our best centre back in my opinion. It has been reported that he is not signing a new contract. Do you think there is hope that may yet change?

Johnny answered: Hi Gerard, I think most people would agree that Van Hecke has been superb this season. He has taken his game to a new level, especially in terms of distribution and consistency and he's been rewarded with well-deserved international caps.

However, with that comes interest from elsewhere and in particular big clubs with big budgets. I wouldn't say it's been reported 'he is not signing' rather 'he is yet to sign'. Anything is possible and if Brighton were to secure a place in Europe next season he may be tempted to sign a new deal but the attraction of European football is obvious to a player who wants to fulfil his potential. Whatever happens Albion will want top dollar for a player of his calibre and they usually get it.

Come back later today for part two and three of Johnny's Q&A

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With fifth position looking set to be a Champions League spot for a second consecutive season, the form of Chelsea and Liverpool has left the door open for another team to possibly pip them to that place.

Brentford, Everton, Fulham and Brighton might not have expected to be fighting for a place in Europe's top club cup competition at the beginning of the campaign, but with all four within six points of fifth place it could yet become a reality.

At the time of writing, supporters think the eight-placed Toffees are most likely to reach that spot, with the current poll standings looking like this:

• Brentford - 21%

• Everton - 60%

• Fulham - 7%

• Brighton - 12%

Add your choice here

Image source, Getty Images

Former Brighton forward Warren Aspinall says Fabian Hurzeler is "very happy" at the club amid links with a move away in the summer.

Hurzeler has been linked with a return to Germany in the Bundesliga, with Bayer Leverkusen reportedly a possible destination, external.

"There's a lot of talk about Hurzeler but I think he's going nowhere," Aspinall told the Albion Unlimited podcast.

"He's in the best league in the world.

"Yes he's German, but what is he going to do with Bayer Leverkusen? All the spotlight is on the Premier League. If you're doing well there you get a chance to go to a big big club.

"Leverkusen would be a sideways step. He's getting his way of football at Brighton. He's had 18 months and he's doing OK I think.

"He wants to stay, it's just paper talk. Nobody wanted him when we were on that poor run and there were calls for him to leave Brighton. Now we've won a few suddenly the papers talk about him leaving again.

"He did a Q&A the other day in London with Paul Barber. I think he's very happy at Brighton and the only way he can get into Europe right now is being successful in these last seven games."

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

A new episode of BBC Radio Sussex's Albion Unlimited podcast has dropped on BBC Sounds.

The team discusses Brighton's push for Europe, the international action for Seagulls players and former boss Roberto de Zerbi's return to the Premier League with Tottenham.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.

Explore all Brighton content on BBC Sounds

Listen to every Brighton game live on BBC Radio Sussex, with all the build-up and full commentary with Johnny Cantor and Warren Aspinall, and there is a full preview of all Seagulls' matches on Fridays at 18:00 in The Weekend Warm-up