Burnley have to regard this as a must-win match, even if Brighton are 12 points better off and in the top half of the table. Tottenham, Arsenal and Everton are next for Sean Dyche’s side so they could easily be spending Christmas in the bottom three, uncomfortably aware some of the clubs around them are either showing signs of improvement or hopeful of climbing out of trouble after appointing a new manager. Brighton are unbeaten in their past three matches. Paul Wilson
Saturday 3pm
Venue Turf Moor
Last season Burnley 0 Brighton 0
Referee Martin Atkinson
This season G12 Y41 R1 3.5 cards/game
Odds H 2-1 A 7-4 D 2-1
BURNLEY
Subs from Heaton, Lindegaard, Legzdins, Lowton, Long, Hendrick, Lennon, Vokes, Vydra, Defour, Gibson, McNeil, Agyei
Doubtful Defour (knee)
Injured Ward (knee, 15 Dec), Pope (shoulder, 22 Dec)
Suspended None
Discipline Y28 R0
Form LLDLLL
Leading scorer Vokes 3
BRIGHTON
Subs from Steele, Button, White, Locadia, Suttner, Dreyer, Andone, Knockaert, Bong, Bruno, Kayal
Doubtful Bruno (hamstring), Izquierdo (knee), Murray (shoulder)
Injured Jahanbakhsh (hamstring, 16 Dec)
Suspended Duffy (first of three)
Discipline Y32 R2
Form WLLDWW
Leading scorer Murray 8