Africa-Press – Ghana. Both sets of players were visibly shaken after Ashley Westwood’s leg injury at London Stadium
West Ham came from behind to dent managerless Burnley’s hopes of avoiding relegation from the Premier League in a match tainted by Ashley Westwood’s injury.
Tomas Soucek equalised from close range to cancel out Wout Weghorst’s opener as West Ham extended their unbeaten home run to eight games in all competitions.
The Hammers could have snatched victory late on but they found an inspired Nick Pope, who produced three big saves in the final stages, standing in their way.
Both sides started with attacking intent but the game took a turn for the worse when Westwood was stretchered off with a worrying leg injury after what looked like a innocuous challenge with Nikola Vlasic.
Play was stopped for eight minutes with medical staff from both clubs attending to the Burnley midfielder.
No-one was more visibly upset than Vlasic, who dropped to his knees with concern, but the incident appeared to galvanise the lowly visitors. Three minutes after Westwood’s departure, Burnley scored the opener.
Maxwel Cornet’s header was met by Jay Rodriguez, who could only divert the ball against the crossbar, before Weghorst rose highest to head in the rebound.
Cornet had the chance to double the visitors’ lead after being brought down inside the area by Lukasz Fabianksi, but his poorly hit penalty went wide.
The Clarets sacked boss Sean Dyche on Friday but remained resolute under the interim guidance of Under-23s coach Mike Jackson and injured club captain Ben Mee until Soucek salvaged a draw for the hosts.
The result means Burnley move to within three points of safety, although they have played a game more than 17th-placed Everton, while West Ham remain seventh, five points outside the Champions League places.
Relive Sunday’s Premier League action as it happened
Defiant Burnley running out of time
Burnley made headlines on Friday after they dismissed Dyche, who was the Premier League’s longest-serving current manager, having taken over at Turf Moor in October 2012.
Two days later, the Clarets headed to an in-form West Ham side who had just booked their place in the Europa League semi-final.
The Hammers started brightly and Jarrod Bowen’s whipped effort was well kept out by an acrobatic save by the influential Pope.
The seriousness of Westwood’s injury was noted almost instantly as the midfielder, who fell to the ground after a fair coming together for possession, waved on the medical staff frantically.
It seemed to hand Burnley the impetus, as they went down the other end and opened the scoring, while Weghorst’s celebrations were muted in testament to his team-mate’s misfortune.
When Cornet was released from inside his own half before running clear and rounding Fabianski, they had the chance to double their lead with their first penalty of the season, but it was missed.
Those are the chances that will need to be converted if Burnley are to achieve the unlikely and retain the top-flight status.
In the end, the Clarets were punished, courtesy of Soucek’s shoulder as he connected with Manuel Lanzini’s free-kick.
As the Hammers pushed on for the winner, Pope stood firm and showed the form that resulted in an England call-up last month. Two excellent saves to deny Antonio came either side of a Gordon Banks-esque dive to keep out Issa Diop’s low header.
Should Burnley fail to survive, you can be certain Pope will be of interest to other clubs in the Premier League.
Player of the match
WestwoodAshley Westwood
with an average of 7.17
West HamWest Ham UnitedWest Ham UnitedBurnleyBurnleyBurnley
West Ham UnitedAvgSquad number41Player nameRiceAverage rating
6.18
Squad number20Player nameBowenAverage rating
6.10
Squad number8Player nameFornalsAverage rating
6.09
Squad number28Player nameSoucekAverage rating
6.05
Squad number22Player nameBenrahmaAverage rating
5.83
Squad number15Player nameDawsonAverage rating
5.79
Squad number3Player nameCresswellAverage rating
5.66
Squad number10Player nameLanziniAverage rating
5.62
Squad number23Player nameDiopAverage rating
5.58
Squad number1Player nameFabianskiAverage rating
5.49
Squad number9Player nameAntonioAverage rating
5.48
Squad number11Player nameVlasicAverage rating
5.41
Squad number31Player nameJohnsonAverage rating
5.39
BurnleyAvgSquad number18Player nameWestwoodAverage rating
7.17
Squad number9Player nameWeghorstAverage rating
7.16
Squad number1Player namePopeAverage rating
7.08
Squad number19Player nameRodriguezAverage rating
6.54
Squad number5Player nameTarkowskiAverage rating
6.49
Squad number8Player nameBrownhillAverage rating
6.48
Squad number4Player nameCorkAverage rating
6.34
Squad number22Player nameCollinsAverage rating
6.30
Squad number3Player nameTaylorAverage rating
6.29
Squad number11Player nameMcNeilAverage rating
6.27
Squad number2Player nameLowtonAverage rating
6.26
Squad number14Player nameRobertsAverage rating
6.09
Squad number20Player nameCornetAverage rating
6.01
Squad number27Player nameVydraAverage rating
5.74
Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsWest Ham
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Fabianski31Johnson15Dawson23Diop3Cresswell28Soucek41Rice20Bowen10Lanzini11Vlasic9Antonio
1FabianskiBooked at 45mins31Johnson15Dawson23Diop3Cresswell28Soucek41RiceBooked at 67mins20Bowen10LanziniSubstituted forFornalsat 79’minutes11VlasicSubstituted forBenrahmaat 65’minutes9Antonio
Substitutes
5Coufal7Yarmolenko8Fornals13Areola16Noble22Benrahma24Fredericks26Masuaku33Král
Burnley
Formation 4-4-2
1Pope2Lowton22Collins5Tarkowski3Taylor11McNeil18Westwood4Cork20Cornet19Rodriguez9Weghorst
1Pope2LowtonSubstituted forRobertsat 62’minutes22Collins5Tarkowski3Taylor11McNeilSubstituted forVydraat 79’minutes18WestwoodSubstituted forBrownhillat 30’minutes4CorkBooked at 11mins20Cornet19Rodriguez9WeghorstBooked at 67mins
Substitutes
8Brownhill10Barnes13Hennessey14Roberts16Stephens17Lennon26Bardsley27Vydra28Long
Referee:Paul TierneyMatch StatsHome TeamWest HamAway TeamBurnleyPossessionHome61%Away39%ShotsHome21Away9Shots on TargetHome8Away1CornersHome13Away4FoulsHome9Away10Live TextPost update
Match ends, West Ham United 1, Burnley 1.
90’+4’Full Time
Second Half ends, West Ham United 1, Burnley 1.
90’+1’Post update
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Connor Roberts.
90’Post update
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by James Tarkowski.
90’Post update
Hand ball by Wout Weghorst (Burnley).
90’Post update
Attempt saved. Michail Antonio (West Ham United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jarrod Bowen.
88’Post update
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Charlie Taylor.
88’Post update
Attempt saved. Issa Diop (West Ham United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Pablo Fornals with a cross.
88’Post update
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Nathan Collins.
87’Post update
Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Nick Pope.
87’Post update
Attempt saved. Michail Antonio (West Ham United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Declan Rice.
85’Post update
Attempt missed. Maxwel Cornet (Burnley) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by James Tarkowski following a set piece situation.
84’Post update
Foul by Issa Diop (West Ham United).
84’Post update
Wout Weghorst (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
83’Post update
Attempt missed. Saïd Benrahma (West Ham United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the right.
81’Post update
Attempt missed. Ben Johnson (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Declan Rice.
80’Post update
Foul by Pablo Fornals (West Ham United).
80’Post update
Wout Weghorst (Burnley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
79’Substitution
Substitution, West Ham United. Pablo Fornals replaces Manuel Lanzini.
79’Substitution
Substitution, Burnley. Matej Vydra replaces Dwight McNeil.
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