Burnley

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Sean Dyche says there is no room for sentiment when he returns to Burnley with Everton on Saturday.

The Toffees beat Vincent Kompany's side earlier this season in the Carabao Cup at Goodison Park, but this weekend will see Dyche return to Turf Moor for the first time since his 10-year stint in charge came to an end.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Dyche said: "People who know me in football know I don’t really go in for all that sort of stuff.

"There is a massive respect quite obviously because of my time there. I always had a big respect and a big connection with the people and the fans because of my time and the team’s time and what was achieved there.

"To be honest, when the whistle blows, I want to win. That’s work time, that is what I am in the game for – to win. Before and after I’m hopefully going to bump into some old faces.

"There has been a lot of change there but there are people I still know there so it will be nice to see them. I’ll pop in my pub [The Royal Dyche] obviously and have a few pints."

On what he makes of Kompany's side this season, Dyche added: "It’s tough. They had a fantastic season last season.

"I saw Vincent at one of the LMA events and commended him on the work they had done. Going into the season it’s difficult. They spent money but how do you buy players that are game ready for the Premier League? It’s not easy.

"Then you have got to develop players to be ready. Some of the old players were there from my time, but a lot of new players. You have to mould it, you have to form it, you have to produce a team that can win. It’s a massive challenge for anyone going up.

"I’m told from colleagues around the game in the Championship the gap has got bigger so it’s even harder to make that jump. I think they are a work in progress and the manager speaks clearly about that. Adapting to the Premier League is a challenge for everyone."

Shamoon Hafez, BBC Sport

Vincent Kompany has spoken to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Everton at Turf Moor.

Here are the key lines from the Burnley manager:

• Kompany said striker Lyle Foster continues to make progress but is not in a position to join up with South Africa after being named in their preliminary squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

• On Burnley's attempts to survive: "The team is alive, fighting and doing everything it can. If we are going in a wrong trend then we need to boost it but we need to give ourselves a chance reward ourselves with the performances."

• Midfielder Aaron Ramsey is "fine" but touch and go for Saturday while Michael Obafemi has a "short-term issue" that is "nothing major".

• Kompany said Sean Dyche's "legacy" at Burnley should be "celebrated": "Every club, in recent history, has a reference point. He has been that in recent history and no-one did better than him. As a manager, you are always looking to the good habits you can retain and build on."

• On how Everton have performed this season: “The team is definitely well coached, it is alive and they have had some good results this season. They have got some players performing at the levels and a good squad. They have a lot of clarity in what they do and it gives you an edge and results."

• On Toffees' 10-point deduction: "Somebody has decided they should get deducted points but they are good team and we have to make sure we are at our best on the day. I can’t judge a team on how the maths have been manipulated. We have to be at our best."

• On facing in-form midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure: "I could assess a lot of players in their squad but he has been a threat with his timing to arrive and be dangerous in the box. It is a team with good players. Every weekend we play against good players but we should focus on our own performance."

Everton, Burnley and Leeds United are among the clubs monitoring 21-year-old English defender Archie Brown, who plays for Gent. (Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Shamoon Hafez, BBC Sport

Burnley picked up a crucial point against Brighton at the weekend, a result that kept them off the foot of the Premier League table on goal difference.

The Clarets host in-form Everton on Saturday, knowing victory will reduce the gap to the Toffees to just two points and provide a major boost to their survival hopes.

The game will put up two goalkeepers in fine fettle - Burnley's James Trafford and Everton's Jordan Pickford.

Trafford played a crucial role in England's Under-21 European Championship-winning campaign in the summer and he made a string of stunning to claim a draw against the Seagulls.

Vincent Kompany has adopted a possession-based style of play and it all starts with their young stopper, often playing outside his area and spraying the ball around the pitch like a prime Andrea Pirlo.

He will surely have his eye on the senior team's number one shirt currently held by opposite number Pickford, who has managed three consecutive shutouts in the league.

The Toffees stopper will head to the 2024 Euros as the national team's first-choice goalkeeper but could well be looking over his shoulder if Trafford's impressive form continues.

• Burnley have won five of their eight Premier League home games against Everton, more victories than they have managed against any opponent at Turf Moor in the competition.

• Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure has applied 664 pressures on opposing players in the Premier League this season, over 100 more than any other player. The Mali midfielder has scored 11 goals since Sean Dyche joined the Toffees earlier this year, accounting for 34% of his total in the Premier League.

• This will be Everton manager Dyche’s first return to Turf Moor since leaving Burnley in April 2022. His only previous away game against the Clarets was a 2-2 draw with Watford in the Championship in August 2011 – his inaugural game as a manager.

• Everton lost 3-2 at Burnley in their past Premier League meeting in April 2022. Only once have they lost consecutive games against the Clarets in the competition, doing so in the 2017-18 campaign.

Natalie Bromley, No Nay Never podcast, external

If you are quick to get frustrated with a player when their performances do not live up to expectations, you should be even quicker to praise them when they do.

James Trafford has had a difficult start to his Burnley career. Not only has he had to face some of the world's most prolific strikers, but he has had to do so with an inconsistent back four protecting him and with a fanbase who have either bemoaned the absence of crowd favourite Arijanet Muric or who just did not think he was ready yet.

I, too, have felt frustrated by him. Not necessarily because I do not believe he is good enough - he has a natural talent that I am excited to see develop and will be England's next number one - but because his short-distance passes have often played us into trouble.

As a fan of a struggling side, there are few things more frustrating than silly errors that gift goals.

At Brighton, he was our man of the match by a long way. It was not just his sensational saves that earned him that accolade. It was his grit and determination to rescue a good away point that really shone.

We have missed that kind of dogged determination this season - and if Trafford is the man to lead that charge to survival, then he has my unwavering support.

Bravo, James Trafford. Enjoy the praise for that performance. You earned it.

We asked for your thoughts on Saturday's match between Brighton and Burnley.

Here are some of your comments:

Brighton fans

Geoff: There's not a lot wrong with the team’s performance especially the build-up from the back. However, in front of goal it is a different matter. It needs working on and we need to take more shots from outside the box instead of trying to walk the ball in.

Chris: Injuries this season are a real curse, but there is still enough quality to beat teams like Sheffield United and Burnley. There's a lack of front-foot starts and having to come from behind every time makes it extra hard work to win. Not having a proper defensive midfielder is exposing Lewis Dunk and co. Some adjustments needed please Roberto.

Sam: Great second-half performance but once again, we conceded a silly goal. We did enough to win by the end but came up against a young goalkeeper who probably won’t have a better game during his entire career! Some players were rested for the big one on Thursday with Marseille to come and then a couple of huge games before January where we need some reinforcements.

Steve: There are lessons to learn. Play the strongest team possible from the start. Using players in rotation evidently doesn't prevent injuries. We look most dangerous when playing quicker out of defence, without playing 20 passes from one defender to another. The most important match is this one, not the one next week.

Burnley fans

Mark: I think James Trafford made some outstanding saves for us today. Once again though we gave the ball away far too many times. It's onwards and upwards but I'm thinking we need to buy a goalscorer in the transfer window.

Lynne: Too much backwards passing and once again showing a reluctance to shoot. Trafford was a star but he needs to work on passing the ball out to one of his own players rather than giving it away!

AndyTom: More naivety and strange tactics - Vincent Kompany hasn't got a clue what he is doing. Trafford was absolutely brilliant today and Vitinho's defending is fast improving. Our passing at times was careless and our crossing non-existent. Our decision-making and our final ball was equally bad, but the surrender by Kompany in the second half was disgusting.

Bob: It’s no good to keep knocking on the door, if it doesn’t open! Kompany tries to focus on our positive points, which is good, but we remain in the relegation zone and the clock is ticking. It’s great that we beat fellow strugglers but this game shows how much we really need a quality striker or two.

Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's six Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer now.

And Match of the Day 2 brings you a round-up of Sunday's games.

Listen back to Saturday's BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries in full on BBC Sounds:

• Manchester United 0-3 Bournemouth

• Aston Villa 1-0 Arsenal

Listen to Sunday's commentaries here:

• Luton Town 1-2 Manchester City

• Tottenham 4-1 Newcastle United

Matthew Howarth, BBC Sport

For a while it looked as if Burnley would become the first team since Fulham in February to stop Brighton from scoring in a Premier League game.

The Seagulls dominated possession from the outset but struggled to seriously test James Trafford's goal until midway through the first half, when the former Manchester City keeper denied Pascal Gross with an outstretched leg.

Wilson Odobert, who replaced the injured Luca Koleosho in the visitors' starting line-up, was a constant menace in the first half in particular and deserved the slice of good fortune - a faint deflection off James Milner - that led to his first-half opener.

It was almost one-way traffic after that, but Vincent Kompany's team defended with spirit and tenacity in the second half to earn a valuable point - although they were indebted to some fine goalkeeping from Trafford late on in the match.

After saving from Simon Adingra not long before the Ivorian's equaliser, Trafford produced sensational saves from Jack Hinshelwood and Kauro Mitoma to deny the home side all three points.

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany, speaking to Match of the Day: "It was a game of two halves. The first half, the way we created chances was outstanding. The second half, we just couldn't get the ball anymore. we had to defend well and we had a massive chance. We played against a good team."

James Trafford performance: "It's the story of our team. We have so many people who have so much to learn at this level. We've been in every game for some time now. We give ourselves a chance and we have to believe that we will turn these into results."

Defending better: "Every time we have the ball, I feel we can be dangerous. When we were open, we weren't able to match the one v one quality of some of the players in this league. The solution was to be more compact. The team can't continue putting in good performances and not results. We really prepare well. There's a lot of effort and dedication."

Wilson Odobert: "I said it before the game. Our team and squad has so many little gems that people don't know about yet. Hopefully we get Luca back as soon as possible and Lyle Foster back."

Next game: "Today was a tough game for us. We played against a top eight team. The next game is Everton and I'm sure it's another one to look forward to."

• Brighton are now on their longest unbeaten home run under Roberto De Zerbi (seven games), although four of those matches have ended in draws (W3). They’re still yet to record consecutive home wins across all competitions in 2023-24.

• Burnley have dropped 16 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season – the joint-most of any side, along with Tottenham Hotspur.

• Brighton have now conceded at least once in each of their last 20 Premier League games, equalling their longest ever run without a clean sheet in league competition (20 games between 1947 and 1948).

• Wilson Odobert (19y 11d) became the first teenager to score a Premier League away goal for Burnley, while he’s only the second teenager to score multiple goals in a single campaign for the Clarets (2), after Dwight McNeil in 2018-19 (3).

• Including six today, Brighton have made 67 changes to their starting XI in the Premier League this season – 23 more than the team who have made the second-most (44, Nottingham Forest).

Image source, Getty Images

Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, speaking to Match of the Day: "It's definitely a hard earned point coming to Brighton. Not many get a point here. We got a goal and managed the game. We're quite disappointed we didn't hold on."

On the game plan: "I just saved their shots! If shots come I try to save them. You dust yourself down and go again. It's one of principles as a team to not have many gaps in between the lines. We got tired at times. We didn't play any different with how we played last week or the week before."

On the Everton game: "We will debrief the game on Monday and then it's all focus on Everton. Every game is a big game from now until the end of the season."

Wilson Odobert goal: "He's had to be patient. He's only 18 and a top talent. He'll only get better."

Simon Adingra's second-half header earned Brighton a draw against relegation-threatened Burnley at Amex Stadium.

The visitors had led through Wilson Odobert's deflected effort but Adingra broke the Clarets' resistance when he steered Pascal Gross' delivery into the far corner with 14 minutes remaining.

Gross, James Milner, Jan Paul van Hecke and Mahmoud Dahoud had all gone close for Brighton early in the second half, while the home side needed a double save from Bart Verbruggen to deny Jay Rodriguez not long after the interval.

It was almost one-way traffic thereafter, as Kaoru Mitoma sent a first-time shot narrowly over the crossbar before Evan Ferguson nodded past the post.

Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford did magnificently to save Adingra's goal-bound shot at the far post, but there was little the former Manchester City man could do about the Ivorian's header moments later.

The visitors stay in the relegation zone but close to within two points of 17th-placed Everton, while Brighton remain in eighth place.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from home?

Brighton fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, Burnley fans?

Follow all the reaction here

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There are six games being played in the Premier League on Saturday and we will bring you every moment.

Follow all of the action and reaction here

All times are GMT

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's games, he takes on actor Dougray Scott, who stars in the new season of high-stakes drama Vigil.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

This will be an entertaining game because that is the nature of both managers - Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi and Burnley manager Vincent Kompany both want to play good attacking football.

They both have issues at the back, too. The Seagulls haven't shown the same consistency they had last season, and they concede far too many goals, but the Clarets concede even more.

Burnley got that huge win over Sheffield United last weekend but then couldn't follow it up when they lost at Wolves on Tuesday. I don't see them getting anything here either.

Dougray's prediction: 3-2

Read the rest of their predictions here

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Burnley need to start turning performances into points, says manager Vincent Kompany, but he still has belief in his team to stay up.

The Clarets have struggled on their return to the Premier League, taking seven points from their first 15 games and sitting 19th in the table.

They are three points adrift of Everton, who had 10 points deducted, and asked if the prospect of a gap opening up would affect belief and confidence, the Belgian said: "That would maybe happen with other people but I don't really work like this. I am sorry. I cannot relate one bit.

"I tend not to pay too much attention to the league table, because that doesn't get me points against Brighton [on Saturday], it doesn't get me points in the game after.

"I'm not surprised to see some of those teams pick up points and do well. I've seen the squads, I've got an understanding now of what they have in terms of quality and I haven't been surprised in any shape or form by how the league is shaping up.

"The only thing I'm focusing on now is making sure that first we are trying to get our performances up and then we've got to perform consistently."

Kompany added: "We've had consistently good performances now, and that needs to yield points. That's the only thing I focus on because if you have consistency in performances and you believe you get the points then you shouldn't worry about anybody else."

• Five of the 10 Premier League meetings between Brighton and Burnley have ended in a draw (two Brighton wins, three Burnley wins)

• Brighton have played more home Premier League games against Burnley without winning than against any other side

• Burnley have lost each of their past four Premier League away games, their longest losing run on the road in the division since between November 2016 and February 2017

• Brighton have lost just one of their past eight Premier League games kicking off at 15:00 on a Saturday

• Despite playing just 597 minutes across 10 Premier League appearances, Johann Gudmundsson has created 22 chances this season, at least 10 more than any other Burnley player. His rate of 3.3 chances created per 90 minutes is the best of any Burnley player in a single Premier League campaign (min. 500 minutes)

• Brighton have scored 98 goals in 48 matches in all competitions during 2023, failing to score in just three games. The Seagulls have only hit 100+ goals in one calendar year in their history, back in 1955 when they managed 118

Image source, Getty Images

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany admits his side will miss injured winger Luca Koleosho, but is backing his squad to step up in his absence.

Kompany confirmed the Italy under-21 international will be out for a while after suffering a knee injury in the defeat to Wolves on Tuesday.

"We don't have Luca anymore," Kompany told reporters before the trip to Brighton. "He was achieving a level of his own, you don't replace that simply by putting another person in.

"They've got to bring something they can do. We have good options, we have to rely on them to bring something. Versatility is important."

Kompany says the number of options he has may be a product of the way youth players are trained in academies, claiming versatility is common within the Premier League.

"I don't think we are doing anything revolutionary," said Kompany.

"If you look at other teams, most players are comfortable playing one, two, three four positions. I don't know if that is a recruitment thing or players are being educated in this way."

Image source, BBC Sport