Burnley 1-1 Brighton: Another Muric howler costs Clarets priceless three points

Burnley managed to get their noses in front during a tense encounter against Brighton with a moment of good fortune of their own, as Josh Brownhill charged down Bart Verbruggen’s attempted clearance.

But the lead lasted just five minutes, with the Seagulls levelling with a freak goal as Muric failed to control Sander Berge’s harmless back pass, resulting in the ball going underneath his foot and trickling into the back of the net.

Had the Clarets held on for the win, they would have moved onto 22 points and within four of Nottingham Forest who were held to a draw at home to Wolves, ahead of a trip to bottom side Sheffield United next weekend.

As it is, the gap remains at six points with only five games remaining. Time is very much running out for Vincent Kompany’s side.

Kompany, who was forced to watch the game from the stands as punishment for his recent red card against Brighton, opted to make two changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Everton last weekend.

One was enforced with Dara O’Shea missing out through suspension, while Charlie Taylor also dropped down to the bench.

Hjalmar Ekdal came in at centre-back while Vitinho slotted in at left-back.

On the bench, James Trafford returned after missing Burnley’s last two games through illness.

Ameen Al-Dakhil, Jordan Beyer, Aaron Ramsey, Luca Koleosho and Nathan Redmond all remain sidelined.

As for Brighton, they made two changes to the side that lost 3-0 to Arsenal in their last outing. Joel Veltman and Joao Pedro came in for the injured Tariq Lamptey and Julio Enciso.

Burnley, as they often do, made an encouraging start to proceedings and could have had a penalty in the sixth minute when Wilson Odobert was felled by Pervis Estupinan following some lovely build-up play with Lyle Foster.

Burnley’s appeals were waved away though, with referee Simon Hooper adjudging Estupinan to have won the ball despite making heavy contact with the flying winger.

The hosts only had themselves to blame though when they squandered a golden opportunity to take the lead with a gilt-edged chance for Jacob Bruun Larsen.

It followed a lovely teasing cross from Odobert, which picked out the unmarked Dane at the back post, yet he inexplicably fired wide from only a few yards out.

Brighton slowly but surely grew into the game, testing Arijanet Muric through Simon Adingra but the Burnley keeper was equal to his long-range effort.

At the other end, the Clarets continued to get into some good areas but too often their decision-making let them down.

A clear example of this was when Odobert lofted up a teasing cross to the back post that Bruun Larsen could have headed towards goal, but instead opted to nod the ball back into the six-yard box where the Seagulls were able to clear.

Brighton were awarded a generous-looking free-kick three minutes before half-time and they almost took advantage, but Muric got across his goal well to tip Jakub Moder’s 25-yarder around the post.

Burnley have made a habit of conceding in first-half stoppage-time in recent weeks but on this occasion it was them who should have broken the deadlock.

Another big chance went begging though as Wilson fired a dangerous ball across the face of goal towards David Fofana, who couldn’t make the required contact, otherwise the ball would have surely nestled in the back of the Brighton net.

The Clarets made a change at the break, bringing Charlie Taylor back into the fold of the man who replaced him: Vitinho.

The home side were undone within two minutes of the restart for fortunately for them Maxime Esteve recovered to make a vital interception just as Adingra had got in behind.

Fofana, meanwhile, produced another miss, although this one was a lot more difficult - throwing himself at Lorenz Assignon’s cross only to direct his flying header wide of the target.

Brighton then hit back with a good chance of their own as the lively Adingra got a foot on Moder’s near post cross, but didn’t make enough contact to direct it goalwards.

The visitors came close twice in quick succession just before the hour mark as they enjoyed a spell of pressure in the Burnley half.

The Clarets were the masters of their own downfall though, with Hjalmar Ekdal leaving the ball for Sander Berge who instantly passed the ball straight to Gross, whose shot was tipped over by Muric. Joao Pedro then glanced a header just wide from the resulting corner.

Jay Rodriguez, off the bench in place of the ineffective Fofana to predictable boos from the Brighton end, was soon straight into the action, producing a low effort that Verbruggen got down well to save.

With only 15 minutes left, the deadlock was finally broken. It involved a slice of good fortune but given the circumstances, Burnley won’t have cared.

Substitute Josh Brownhill was the man to get it, charging down Verbruggen after a weak backpass and seeing his block ricochet into the back of the empty net - similar to Everton’s freak goal last week.

Unfortunately, the lead lasted just five minutes, with Brighton levelling with another huge howler.

Muric was the guilty party for the second game running, allowing a Sander Berge back pass to go under his foot and into the back of his net.

The Kosovan got his technique all wrong, opting to go with the top of his boot rather than with his side step.

To make matters even worse, the keeper wasn’t even under any pressure like he was for the Everton goal at Goodison Park last week.

Brighton looked the more likely to snatch the three points during stoppage time but Burnley held on for a point. But a draw does little for their already fading survival chances.

TEAMS

Burnley: Muric, Assignon, Ekdal (Brownhill), Esteve, Vitinho (Taylor), Cullen, Berge, Bruun Larsen (Tresor), Odobert, Foster, Fofana (Rodriguez)

Subs not used: Trafford, Massengo, Gudmundsson, Benson, Amdouni

Brighton: Verbruggen, van Hecke, Dunk, Estupinan (Julio), Baleba, Gross, Moder (Fati), Pedro (O’Mahony), Adingra (Lallana), Welbeck (Buonanotte)

Subs not used: Steele, Barco, Offiah, Peupion

Referee: Simon Hooper