Saturday Roundup: More encouragement for the Irons as Burnley win lifts them closer to safety zone

Back to back home wins : Picture by William Powell

West Ham recorded back to back wins at home in the Premier League for the first time since October 2024 as they came from behind against Burnley to win 3-2 at the London Stadium. 

The London Stadium is normal quiet and subdued of late but after the unexpected win over Newcastle United last week the Hammers fans were back at their noisy best with the side seeking two home wins on the bounce. 

The last time the Hammers had won two back to back home games in the Premier league was against Manchester United and Ipswich Town in October 2024 which they equalled by the end of today’s encounter with the Clarets.

The Hammers started well and oozed class in the opening exchanges with Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen causing the Burnley defence trouble. 

Burnley did not let West Ham have it all there on way as Jaidon Anthony and Zian Flemming almost caused problems for Alphonse Areola in the 15th minute after a build up down the left-flank but the chance went begging.

Burnley opened the scoring through Zian Flemming with a close range header from an assist by Loum Tchaouna in the 35th minute to give the Clarets the lead. The goal was awarded after a VAR decision for an earlier off side in the build up play.

Burnley build up play for the goal would have pleased boss Scott Parker a former Hammer himself who was a cultured midfielder during his time at the Boleyn Ground. 

The Hammers came back strongly and equalised through a Callum Wilson close range header following a corner in the 44th minute. It was checked for offside by VAR and subsequently given by referee Michael Salisbury.

Wilson had now scored seven goals in his last five starts against the Clarets. Wilson had also scored in six of his last eight starts against newly promoted teams. Teams went in level at interval at 1-1. 

Flemming went close with a header in the 58th minute which went just over Alphonse Areola’s cross bar as the visitors looked to regain the lead. Freddie Potts who looked very good but started to tire was replaced by stalwart midfielder Tomas Soucek in the 61st minute. He made an immediate impact with a goal and a part in the third goal.

Bowen saw a left-footed shot from inside the penalty area saved by Martin Dubravka in the 75th minute as the home side came forward in search of a winning goal. 

Then in the 77th minute from a corner West Ham United went ahead through a close range tap in from Tomas Soucek after Martin Dubravaka could only parry a left-footed shot by Paqueta into his path and he stabbed the ball home to make it 2-1 and send the Hammers faithful into raptures.

West Ham weren’t finished as a late substitute Kyle Walker-Peters tapped in from close range after a long range shot by Soucek was charged down by Martin Dubravka into the path of Walker-Peters who made no mistake to make it 3-1. 

In the seventh minute of added time Josh Cullen scored for Burnley to make it 3-2 to set up a tense couple of minutes for the Hammers but they hung on to win a five goal thriller. 

The win saw West Ham United go into the international break on 10 points in 18th place with Burnley above them in 17th place on 10 points but with a better goal difference which was less negative. 

Hammers: (4-3-3) Areola – Wan-Bissaka Kilman Todibo Diouf – Fernandes Potts (61, Soucek) Paqueta (83, Igor Julio) – Bowen Wilson Summerville (83, Walker-Peters) Subs unused Hermansen (G), Irving, Rodriguez, Guilherme, Golambeckis. 

Clarets: (4-2-3-1) Dubravka - Walker, Tuanzebe, Esteve, Hartman (81, Pires) – Cullen (c), Florentino - Tchaouna, (66, Bruun Larsen) Ugochukwu, Anthony (81, Edwards)) - Flemming Subs unused Weiss (G), Foster, Ekdal, Laurent.

Elsewhere, there was no such optimism for west Londoners Fulham. They were beaten 2-0 at Everton in their first visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Idrissa Gueye opened the scoring in first-half injury time, with the Toffees having had two previous efforts disallowed for offside. Michael Keane's 81st minute goal put the game to bed. The Whites sit one point above the relegation zone after another what was another disappointing away day.

In the championship, Millwall were held to a 1-1 draw by Preston at the Den. Michael Smith put the high-riding visitors ahead in the 15th minute, with Mihailo Ivanovic levelling it up after 36.

There was a 0-0 draw for QPR at strugglers Sheffield United, but Charlton returned from north Wales empty-handed as Josh Windass' 77th minute penalty settled the outcome at Wrexham.

It was a day to forget for London's League One sides as both were hammered. Leyton Orient were blitzed 4-1 at Wycombe where Aaron Connolly's early penalty to level matters at 1-1 was as good as it got.

Fred Onyedinma had the Chairboys ahead by the fourth minute and he restored the lead after 16 minutes with his second of the afternoon. Dan Casey added a third after half an hour and Sam Bell put the icing on the cake with 15 minutes to go.

It was even more of a horror show for AFC Wimbledon, who crashed 5-0 at Peterborough.

In League Two, Barnet were pegged back by MK Dons who fought back for a 2-2 draw after Adam Senior and Mark Shelton (With a penalty) had put the Bees 2-0 up. Bromley had a superb 2-0 win at Colchester tghanks to two goals in four second-half minutes from Omar Sowumni and Michael Cheek