🏏 Sat, 11 Apr 2026 15:00 BST
Burnley FC
vs
Brighton & Hove Albion
4-2-3-1 vs 4-2-3-1
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- Burnley sit 19th on 20 points after 31 games, with a 12-point gap to 17th-placed West Ham and only seven matches remaining — making their survival bid look extremely difficult. Brighton, meanwhile, are comfortably placed in 11th on 43 points, which should allow them to play with freedom and attacking intent.
- Brighton won the reverse fixture (Matchday 20) 2-0 at home. Burnley will be eager to hit back, but their form since has been dire — just three points from their last five games (D1 L2 D1 L1).
- Brighton are flying, winning four of their last five matches. Victories against Nottingham Forest (2-1 in Matchday 28) and Liverpool (2-1 in Matchday 31) highlight their ability to beat top opposition, and the squad is brimming with confidence.
- Both teams deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation, setting up a battle between the double pivots for midfield supremacy. Burnley's experienced pairing of Florentino Luis and Ward-Prowse face off against Brighton's Gross and Ayari. Winning the second-ball battle will be key to controlling the tempo.
- Burnley's James Ward-Prowse is one of the Premier League's finest free-kick specialists, with a direct free-kick goal record approaching Beckham's. Set pieces are a vital source of goals for Burnley, so Brighton's defenders must be disciplined about where they concede fouls.
- Brighton's right winger Yankuba Minteh poses a major threat with his explosive pace and dynamic dribbling. His trademark left-footed cut-ins will test Burnley's left-back Hartman in their one-on-one battles. Interestingly, both Minteh and Hartman have Feyenoord connections, so they may know each other's game well.
- Kaoru Mitoma starts on the bench. He was involved in Brighton's recent win over Liverpool and remains in fine form, so his introduction as a second-half substitute could prove decisive. If Burnley push forward in search of a goal late on, Mitoma's devastating dribbling on the counter could be the difference.
- Burnley's home record of just two wins, five draws, and eight defeats this season has been a major concern. Even with relegation looking all but certain, the question is whether they can produce a proud performance in front of the Turf Moor faithful.