Brighton hosts 19th-placed Burnley in maiden clash of new calender year.

Brighton vs. Burnley kicks off at 15:00 [GMT] on Saturday, January 3, 2026, at the AMEX.

While Brighton have generally had the upper hand overall, losing just one of their last eight Premier League meetings with Burnley, the Clarets have proved stubborn visitors to the south coast. Looking at broader seasonal patterns, Brighton tends to approach the new calendar year with stability. They have lost their first league game in just one of the last 16 calendar years, a record that reflects consistency across divisions and managers. Burnley’s record in the same context is less encouraging, with only two opening-day victories in the last 11 years, though both of those wins did come away from home, offering a small historical comfort. Meanwhile, Brighton are winless in their last six Premier League matches, alternating between defeats and draws, a run that mirrors a longer spell they endured last season. Despite that, their home form remains relatively solid; they have lost just one of their last 13 league games at the Amex, although they are currently without a win in three there. Brighton’s own attacking output has been unusual in recent weeks. Three of their last six Premier League goals, excluding own goals, have come from defenders, with Jan Paul van Hecke and Joël Veltman contributing heavily. That shift highlights both the threat Brighton carries from set pieces and secondary phases and the difficulty they’ve had converting chances from more advanced areas. Nevertheless, breaking that six-game winless run is expected here when they appear with the 4—2—3—1 formation. Danny Welbeck could lead the attack once again.

Nineteenth-placed Burnley are unbeaten in their last seven away league games against Brighton and have never lost a Premier League match at the Amex Stadium, a run stretching back to 2013. That resilience away from home has not always translated into points, however. Burnley have opened the scoring in each of their last four Premier League games against Brighton but have gone on to win just one of those encounters. Their recent results have been far more concerning. They have lost eight of their last 10 Premier League matches and are now on a 10-game run without a win, with only Wolves enduring a longer active streak. Defensive fragility has been a major factor, particularly early in matches. The Amex has rarely been a comfortable venue for Burnley in terms of dominance, but it has often been one where they remain competitive, setting the stage for another finely balanced encounter driven as much by patterns and pressure as by form alone. A 3—4—3 formation with Armando Broja, Marcus Edwards, and Loum Tchaouna in attack is expected against the Seagulls.