Brighton & Hove Albion 0 Burnley 3
Albion lost at home to bottom of the Premier League Burnley. It was the Clarets’ first away win of the season and their first Premier League win since the autumn.
The Seagulls, without either captain Lewis Dunk or Adam Webster, saw Shane Duffy make his first start since October.
And Albion looked very rigid, with Burnley afforded a few early corners.
Burnley’s Connor Roberts rattled the crossbar in an early warning for Albion, with Robert Sanchez looking helpless.
The opening goal came from a good combination of play between Aaron Lennon and Maxwel Cornet. The ball found January transfer signing Wout Weghorst who fired a seemingly unstoppable shot past Sanchez.
Albion looked like they were finding it hard to respond. The best Albion chances fell to Shane Duffy, who strode forward out of defence before firing an effort straight at Burnley keeper Nick Pope, then Adam Lallana guided a diving header well wide from a Tariq Lamptey cross.
Albion seemed a little disorganised. As Sanchez tried to punch a cross away so Duffy tried to head it. The two had an altercation, which saw Duffy push Sanchez in the chest. The two continued to gesticulate to each other for a few minutes.
Before half time, a long punt upfield put Duffy under more pressure, he appeared to gesture to Sanchez to come and collect. However, Weghorst, already a handful, seized upon the loose ball and this found its way to Josh Brownhill, who through a sizeable couple of deflections, doubled Burnley’s lead.
Albion looked more lively and compact as the second half started. But when Pope rushed out of his goal and left it unguarded, Albion couldn’t capitalise.
Jakub Moder and Alexis Mac Allister weren’t playing with any fluency as Neal Maupay saw a volley in the turn go well wide.
Solly March came on as a substitute for Moder and looked Albion’s best outlet for a while, at least beating his man and getting crosses in for Mac Allister and Maupay, but to no avail.
The game was up when Burnley substitute Jay Rodriguez played in Lennon who fired an effort high into the top left-hand corner to put Burnley deservedly three up with 20 minutes left.
Dwight McNiel added a fourth for Burnley but fortunately for Albion it was adjudged offside.
It was probably Albion’s worst defeat under Graham Potter and, despite the way that the league table looks, they’re not safe yet!
Brighton are 15 points clear of Watford in 18th place and the Seagulls are still quoted at 500/1 to be relegated. The again, they’re also 500/1 to win the Premier League.
Albion take on Aston Villa at the Amex next Saturday (26 February) in the Premier League.
