Brighton & Hove Albion found their spark again. A sharp 2-0 win over Burnley at the Amex Stadium snapped a six-match winless run, lifted the mood, and pushed the Seagulls up to eighth in the Premier League table on 28 points. It was a clean, controlled display in Round 20 that brought both relief and belief back to the south coast.

Georginio Rutter opened the scoring on 29 minutes, finishing a move created by C. Kostoulas. Yasin Ayari doubled the lead two minutes after the break to give Brighton the cushion their play deserved. The hosts finished with a hefty 13 shots on goal to Burnley’s 2, a fair mirror of how the contest played out.

Brighton vs Burnley: A needed win, delivered with control

This was not a smash-and-grab. Brighton kept their shape, pressed with care, and chose their moments. The 4-2-3-1 shape gave balance in and out of possession. With runners in the attacking line and a steady midfield base, the Seagulls stayed on the front foot for most of the afternoon.

The breakthrough came before the half-hour mark. Rutter, lively and direct, took the chance that Kostoulas teed up, and the Amex exhaled. That moment mattered. After six league games without a victory, getting the first goal felt like a weight off the team’s shoulders.

Right after half-time, Brighton struck again. Ayari’s 47th-minute finish stretched the gap and took any sting out of Burnley’s hopes. From there, the hosts managed the game sensibly, controlling territory and limiting risks.

“That’s the Rutter we needed — calm finish, big moment.”

Tactical picture: 4-2-3-1 overcomes 5-4-1

Robust structure beat deep structure. Brighton’s 4-2-3-1 allowed them to build through clear lines, while Burnley’s 5-4-1 tried to pack space and break when possible. The differences showed in the shot count: Brighton’s 13 shots on goal to Burnley’s 2 told the tactical story.

Brighton’s lineup had a familiar spine: Bart Verbruggen kept goal behind a defense of Ferdi Kadioglu, captain Lewis Dunk, Jan Paul van Hecke, and Joel Veltman. In midfield, there was control and link play with the likes of Gómez and Ayari. Ahead of them, the attacking four included Kaoru Mitoma, Rutter, Brajan Gruda, and Kostoulas. It was a blend of energy and craft that gave Brighton both width and a reliable route through the middle.

Burnley, sitting in a 5-4-1, aimed to frustrate and counter. But without sustained pressure or a foothold in midfield, they struggled to test Verbruggen. Two shots on goal across 90 minutes reflects how little they were able to create.

“Kostoulas at 10 brings tempo. Keep him central and quicken the play.”

Key moments decide games: Rutter and Ayari take their chances

In a match Brighton controlled, the fine edges still mattered. Rutter’s 29th-minute finish was clean and confident, the sort that shifts momentum and belief. Ayari’s goal on 47 minutes arrived at a perfect time, right after the interval when a trailing side usually looks to react. At 2-0, the contest felt settled, and Brighton’s calm management did the rest.

It’s worth noting the assist for the opener: Kostoulas picked the lock for Rutter. In a game where space was often tight, that extra bit of creativity turned dominance into a lead.

Numbers that underline the story

• Shots on goal: Brighton 13, Burnley 2.
• Scoreline: Brighton 2-0 Burnley.
• Formations: Brighton 4-2-3-1; Burnley 5-4-1.

The numbers match the eye test. Brighton were on the front foot, created the better looks, and gave up very little. Verbruggen’s clean sheet will please the back line, with Dunk and van Hecke steady in front of him and the full-backs offering support without leaving gaps.

“Two shots conceded. That’s what control looks like.”

Premier League table impact: Brighton up to eighth, Burnley still in trouble

Brighton’s record moves to 7-7-6, good for 28 points and eighth place. It’s a timely jump that puts them back in the top-half conversation and resets momentum after a lean spell. Confidence, often fragile in a long season, gets a clear lift from a secure home win like this.

For Burnley, the picture remains hard. Their record sits at 3-3-14 for 12 points, second-bottom. The margin for error is thin, and the priority now is to turn tight moments into points. They struggled to build attacks here, and that must change fast.

Discipline and changes: Burnley’s cards, second-half subs

Burnley collected three yellow cards: J. Laurent in the 21st minute, B. Humphreys in the 44th, and Kyle Walker in stoppage time (90’+3). The visitors also made two notable changes from the bench, with O. Sonne replacing L. Ugochukwu on 55 minutes and L. Tchaouna coming on for A. Broja at 63 minutes. Those switches did not alter the tide, as Brighton kept control through the second half.

Simple, steady, and deserved

This was the version of Brighton that supporters expect at the Amex: organized without the ball, patient with it, and clinical when chances arrived. Rutter provided the breakthrough, Ayari the breathing room, and the back five unit (including goalkeeper Verbruggen) did the rest.

Equally, the shape fit the moment. The 4-2-3-1 gave Brighton a stable base and the tools to find space between the lines. Burnley’s 5-4-1 asked the hosts to create and keep probing, and they did just that. The 13-2 shots on goal gap shows how one side solved the puzzle.

For the Seagulls, the hope now is that this is not a one-off but a reset. Ending a six-match winless run matters. So does the way they did it: by taking care of the basics, trusting their structure, and letting their creators make the difference.

For Burnley, there were too few bright sparks. Discipline will need tightening, chance creation must improve, and the next few weeks will be about finding a reliable route to goal while keeping the back door shut.

Bottom line: Brighton got what they needed — three points, a clean sheet, and a performance to build on. Burnley left with lessons and the same problem: not enough threat in the final third. On this evidence, one team looks ready to climb, the other needs a quick fix.