Burnley suffered an alarming regression from a 54-point finish in 2020 to 39 in 2021. The squad looks almost identical to last season’s so it is tough to see where improvement will come from. Whether Brighton can capitalise and find the goals they have been sorely missing to climb higher is the key conundrum for Graham Potter. Both managers will be acutely aware they must do better as this season’s crop of newcomers look more likely to pose a threat than the dead wood that allowed both sides to coast to safety in May. Graham Searles
Saturday 3pm
Venue Turf Moor
Last season Burnley 1 Brighton 1
Referee David Coote
Last season G21 Y65 R3 3.24 cards/game
Odds H 9-4 A 8-5 D 11-5
BURNLEY
Subs from Hennessey, Norris, Collins, Pieters, Rodriguez, Brownhill, Bardsley, Vydra
Doubtful None
Injured Long (calf, unknown), Stephens (ankle, unknown)
Suspended None
Discipline Y48 R0 (last season)
Leading scorer Wood 12 (last season)
BRIGHTON
Subs from Steele, Walton, Connolly, Karbownik, Andone, Lallana, Tau, Zeqiri, Dunk, Alzate, Moder, Duffy
Doubtful Karbownik (ankle)
Injured Lamptey (hamstring, Sep), Welbeck (hamstring, Sep), Burn (knee, unknown), Caicedo (knee, unknown), Scherpen (ankle, unknown)
Suspended None
Discipline Y45 R6 (last season)
Leading scorer Maupay 8 (last season)
