Mighty Irons poised for push to the top
Meanwhile, the Clarets are desperate to break free from a dismal six-game losing streak and secure their first points of the season on home turf.
Despite claiming the Championship title with 101 points last season and investing around £100m in new players over the summer, Vincent Kompany’s youthful Burnley side has faced challenges in transitioning to the Premier League. Currently enduring the lowest point tally (four) in the first 12 games of a season in Premier League history, they find themselves at the bottom of the table, now level on points with Everton due to a 10-point deduction for financial rule breaches.
Since their sole top-flight win against fellow promoted side Luton Town in early October, Burnley have faced five consecutive league defeats, conceding 14 goals in the process, including a 3-1 loss to Arsenal in their latest fixture. A defeat to West Ham on Saturday would mark their seventh consecutive home league loss this season, a feat not achieved since Newport County in 1970-71.
Despite the challenges, Burnley has a chance to climb out of the relegation zone with a victory this weekend, provided other results work in their favour. However, they face a West Ham side they haven’t beaten in their last four encounters.
West Ham, after a winless streak in October, has found form in November, winning three of their last four matches across all competitions. A crucial 1-0 victory over Olympiacos in the Europa League and a 3-2 win against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, including Tomas Soucek’s 88th-minute winner, boosted their confidence. Currently sitting ninth in the Premier League, just three points behind seventh-placed Newcastle United and four behind sixth-placed Manchester United, West Ham aims to continue their positive run against upcoming opponents Burnley, Crystal Palace, and Fulham.
Although West Ham has dominated against promoted teams, winning their last seven Premier League meetings, success against Burnley is not guaranteed. The Hammers have struggled to score in three of their last four visits to Turf Moor, drawing 0-0 in their most recent trip in December 2021. Additionally, they have won only two of their last 10 top-flight away games, losing the last three and conceding 10 goals in the process.