Burnley's return to Premier League following the recent international break ended in a 2-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Clarets had two goals disallowed by the finest of margins, one in each half, as Scott Parker's side were undone by a Mats Wieffer brace at Turf Moor.

The result left Burnley 12 points adrift of safety, with six games remaining of the 2025/26 campaign.

Brighton carved open an early chance inside the opening four minutes - Yankuba Minteh broke down the left flank, before picking out Danny Welbeck, who saw his tame effort at the back-post caught by Martin Dúbravka.

The Clarets responded to that early chance with what looked to be the opening goal, but Jaidon Anthony’s well-taken finish from inside the area was disallowed for offside, with the forward’s sleeve adjudged to have been an inch in front of the Albion defender.

In a tight opening, the Albion had another chance shortly after. Jack Hinshelwood teed up Minteh inside the box, but the winger squandered the opportunity to unleash an effort on target from an unmarked position.

The Seagulls were on the front foot and carved open another chance to break the deadlock midway through the half, after a goalmouth scramble saw Minteh’s initial strike blocked well by Bashir Humphreys, before Danny Welbeck’s effort trickled wide of the post.

With half-time fast approaching, Brighton scored the opening goal of the contest in the 43rd minute. Pascal Gross fizzed a low cross into the area, with Wieffer arriving bang on cue to slot a first-time effort into the bottom corner to put the Seagulls ahead.

There was still time for one final chance for the visitors in first half stoppage-time, when Welbeck flicked the ball on for Hinshelwood inside the box, but the midfielder could only steer his shot narrowly wide of the target.

The Clarets were quick out of the blocks in the second-half and thought they'd got their equaliser - but once again VAR got involved, denying Humphreys a first goal of the season, after he hammered home from inside the box, after Bart Verbruggen failed to gather James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick.

Burnley went close once again soon after, this time Marcus Edwards’ effort sailed just over the crossbar.

At the other end, Dúbravka was forced into action to keep out Hinshelwood’s strike, after a slick Brighton move involving Minteh and Gross.

Zian Flemming's effort flew wide in the final ten minutes - but it was Weiffer and the Seagulls who would have the final say two minutes from time, with the Dutchman finishing splendidly from the edge of the box for his second of the afternoon, to round off the visitors' victory.

Burnley: Dúbravka, Hartman (Pires 82), Estève, Ugochukwu (Bruun Larsen 67), Edwards (Trèsor 75), Anthony, Humphreys (Walker 82), Florentino (Broja 82), Ekdal Flemming, Ward-Prowse

Unused substitutes: Weiss, Worrall, Foster, Tchaouna

Brighton & Hove Albion: Verburggen, van Hecke, Minteh (Mitoma 80), Hishelwood (Baleba 75), Welbeck (Rutter 75), Boscagli, Kadioglu, Gómez (Veltman 88), Ayari, Wieffer, Gross

Unused substitutes: Steele, Julio, March, Kostoulas, De Cuyper

Goals: Wieffer 43', 48'

Attendance: 20,408