Gross back as Albion return to winning ways

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Georginio and Yasin Ayari on target in 2-0 win over Burnley at the Amex.

Bruce Talbot

2026-01-03T16:55+00:00

Delight for Georginio after he opened the scoring. 📷James Boardman

Albion returned to winning ways with a comfortable win over Burnley at the Amex on Saturday.

Georginio and Yasin Ayari both scored their second goals of the season to secure a first win in seven which moved the Seagulls up to eighth in the Premier League table.

Both goals were, of course, acclaimed by Albion fans but the roar when Pascal Gross made his return with 20 minutes to go, having re-joined the club on Friday, was just as loud and heartfelt.

There were glimpses of the player Albion fans grew to love during his first spell at the club. He started on the left then switched to the right and went close with a shot from the edge of the box.

Yasin Ayari doubles Albion's lead early in the second half. 📷James Boardman.

After a disappointing December it was just the result and performance Fabian Hurzeler and his team needed. Maxim De Cuyper struck the bar with a late free kick and there were other chances to extend the winning margin.

Gross’s return was the headline team news but it was also a red-letter day for Babis Kostoulas, who started his first Premier League game, and Kaoru Mitoma, whose last start was more than three months ago at Chelsea.

Albion began with a back three and one of the trio - Jan Paul van Hecke - went close to scoring his fourth goal of the season but couldn’t direct an early close-range header from Ferdi Kadioglu’s inswinging corner on target with Burnley keeper Martin Dubravka struggling.

Albion were happy to go long to counter Burnley’s low block and Ayari’s fine diagonal pick-out to Kostoulas was followed by a composed finish across Dubravka but he’d gone a second too early and was marginally offside. Gomez’s powerful shot was deflected over then Lewis Dunk directed a free header from Kadioglu’s free kick as Albion began to dominate.

Yasin Ayari celebrates after scoring his second goal of the season. 📷Paul Hazlewood

The goal their pressure deserved came on the half-hour. Georginio began the move by beating two defenders on the right. When the ball ran loose Ayari fired it into the box and a deflection off Kostoulas fell to Rutter who drilled a low shot beyond Dubravka into the far corner from the angle of the six-yard box.

Burnley didn’t threaten until stoppage time when Bart Verbruggen blocked Lucas Pires’ shot with his left leg – a warning that Albion needed to extend their lead which they did two minutes into the second half.

Georginio started the move on the left and when Florentino failed to deal with Gomez’s pass Ayari got between two defenders before angling a precise low finish into the far corner from the right-hand side of the box.

Albion were in control but they needed Kadioglu’s alertness to prevent Burnley from pulling one back midway through the second half. An inswinging corner was headed goalwards by Loum Tchaona but Kadioglu got back to head the ball off the line and onto the underside of the bar before Albion cleared.

Georginio beats Martin Dubravka from a tight angle to open the scoring. 📷James Boardman

Gross came on to a rapturous reception with 20 minutes to go as part of a triple change and his every touch was cheered by the home fans.

Albion were denied a third goal when substitute Maxim De Cuyper’s clipped a free kick from 20 yards over the defensive wall but it came back off the left-hand post. No matter, it was a positive start to 2026.

Jan Paul van Hecke tested Martin Dubravka with this overhead kick in the first half. 📷James Boardman

The line-up

Albion: Verbruggen, Veltman, Dunk, van Hecke, Kadioglu, Mitoma (De Cuyper 70), Ayari, Gomez, (Milner 80) Gruda (Watson 88), Georginio (Welbeck 70), Kostoulas (Gross 70).