West Ham vs Burnley tips and predictions: Irons to scrap for third league win on spin

Scott Allen
8 March 2024

West Ham are on the hunt for a third Premier League win on the bounce when struggling Burnley visit the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon (1400 GMT).

To those that don’t regularly watch West Ham, this clash against the probably doomed Clarets, looks like a nailed on home banker.

Star midfielder Lucas Paqueta is back, the team is winning games, scoring goals and that awful patch in January and February is already a distant memory.

But wouldn’t this be typically West Ham to return from an unlucky defeat in Freiburg on Thursday night and balls it all up against Burnley on Sunday afternoon.

Surely even the most negative ‘Moyes out’ West Ham fan, can’t see Burnley getting anything out of this.

The Clarets last won on Boxing Day, ten games ago and have only taken two points in nine Premier League games against Luton and Fulham. Even Crystal Palace got a 3-0 win off them.

West Ham also haven’t lost to Burnley in five meetings and come into this match with back-to-back Premier League wins under their belt.

But it’s not all doom and gloom for Burnley. West Ham have struggled to get past them in their most recent encounters. They needed an own goal and a Tomas Soucek extra-time winner to take the three points in November and drew both games last season.

West Ham also rarely give Burnley a good hiding. Over 3.5 goals last happened in a 4-2 win back in November 2018. Felipe Anderson getting a brace…the languid Brazilian probably surprised himself.

These games are usually gritty, scrabbling about in the area encounters, and over three cards and over nine corners usually lands.

Burnley will know the crowd will quickly turn on West Ham if they don’t come flying out the blocks, so they can test the Irons leaky defence and maybe get on the score sheet for the first time in three outings.

Alphonse Areola may be pulling off some world class saves at the moment, and keeping West Ham in games. but his creaky centre backs haven't kept a clean sheet since the start of January, ten games ago.

Soucek has two in two against Burnley and tends to score in bunches. His absolute peach against Everton last weekend will have him hungry for more, and he’s gone close more than once in his last few games.

Increase your odds by having him as last goalscorer as he specialises in popping up in the death throes of games.

His last goal against Burnley came in the 90+1 minute in November and was sandwiched between two last minute goals. One against Backa Topola and the other for Czechia against Moldova.

Team news

West Ham could be without one of their players of the season so far Emerson Palmieri, who went off against Freiburg with a groin injury. Aaron Cresswell or Ben Johnson will step in if the full-back isn’t fully fit.

Maxwel Cornet is out with a hamstring injury, while Nayef Aguerd is also a doubt after not even making the bench in Germany.

Josh Brownhill will return from suspension for Burnley, and should push ex-Hammer Josh Cullen out of the side.

Nathan Redmond, Aaron Ramsey, Luca Koleosho, Lyle Foster and Jordan Beyer are still out.