West Ham United 3-2 Burnley: West Ham Rally to Beat Relegation Rivals Burnley

West Ham came from behind to beat Premier League relegation rivals Burnley in a match preceded by a large protest from Hammers fans.

Before the game at London Stadium 10,000 home supporters marched through Stratford with a coffin and hearse, protesting about the running of the club.

And their anger would have grown when Burnley striker Zian Flemming headed in from Lesley Ugochukwu’s cross. There was a video assistant referee (VAR) check for a potential offside against Flemming earlier in the move – but the goal stood.

West Ham were level when Callum Wilson nodded in from close range after Crysencio Summerville’s effort was deflected into his path late in the first half.

They took about 30 minutes of the second half to start threatening.

Tomas Soucek was involved in their next two goals, with Martin Dubravka at fault for both.

Soucek bundled in from close range after Dubravka flapped Lucas Paqueta’s ball into his path.

And then Soucek’s long-range effort was parried by the keeper with Kyle Walker-Peters netting from close in.

Burnley got a consolation right at the end as Josh Cullen scored following an error by Alphonse Areola.

West Ham remain 18th in the Premier League, but are now only behind Burnley on goal difference.

West Ham analysis: Day ends on high after funereal start

For a long period of this game it looked as if it was going to be total misery for West Ham – with fans calling for chairman David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady to resign in the latest of several fan protests.

They are furious with a host of things including London Stadium, a change of the club crest, poor investment in the squad and the failure to build on winning the 2023 Conference League.

On the pitch boss Nuno Espirito Santo has not had a magic wand since replacing Graham Potter, with this his sixth game, but this is now a second win in a row after beating Newcastle last weekend.

The result was better than the performance but the three points were what West Ham needed here.

Had Wilson not struck just before half-time it is likely they would have been booed off at the break. But he did. And then, with Dubravka giving them a helping hand, they scored twice from loose balls to complete a turnaround win.

Soucek, a 62nd-minute substitute for the injured Freddy Potts, and Walker-Peters with his first Premier League goal since 2022, were the decisive figures. Though fortunately for them the final whistle went moments after Cullen made it 3-2.

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Burnley analysis: Missed opportunity for Clarets

Scott Parker’s Burnley are enjoying a much better season than their last Premier League campaign, which somehow ended in Vincent Kompany getting the Bayern Munich job.

This was a wasted opportunity to move six points clear of West Ham and the relegation zone – they did not play well enough to threaten that.

They had 16 shots to West Ham’s 15 – and more possession – but many of those efforts were blocked and few felt like proper goalscoring chances.

Dutch striker Flemming did give them the lead with his third Premier League goal of the season – and he headed over a big opportunity to make it 2-1 in the second half.

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Veteran goalkeeper Dubravka has been excellent for Burnley this season but his failure to deal with two balls was ultimately the difference here.

Had Cullen scored a few minutes earlier it might have set up a nervy finale – but the final whistle went seconds after a VAR check confirmed the goal.

Source: BBC