Burnley ended a run of three straight defeats with a comfortable win over struggling West Ham despite having a goal disallowed by VAR at Turf Moor.
The Clarets were ahead through Ashley Barnes’ close-range effort when Chris Wood’s header was chalked off, with the New Zealand striker shown to be just offside.
But Wood doubled Burnley’s lead just before half-time with a first-time shot, and the hosts were out of sight when West Ham goalkeeper Roberto Jiménez turned the ball into his own nett from a corner early in the second half.
West Ham is without a win in six Premier League games and are two places above the relegation zone, while Burnley moves up to ninth.
Burnley’s opener came from a corner, but West Ham’s defenders were convinced that the last touch came off Barnes and that they should have had a goal-kick.
And the hosts were celebrating what appeared to be a goal for Wood when referee Kevin Friend paused the game before overturning the New Zealander’s effort.
West Ham had just one touch in the Burnley box before half-time but seemed to be improving after the break when Roberto, who had often looked uncertain under the high ball, turned Westwood’s corner behind him for the third.
The Spanish keeper did make some excellent saves following his error, but a bad day for West Ham saw them end the game with 10 men after substitute Manuel Lanzini was carried off with what appeared to be a shoulder injury late on.
Burnley’s hard-to-beat image had taken something of a knock before West Ham’s visit, with Sean Dyche’s side conceding nine goals in three consecutive defeats.
Dyche branded his side’s display in their 3-0 loss to Sheffield United, where all three goals went in before half-time, as “unacceptable”, but this display at Turf Moor was a marked improvement on a week ago.
Both full-backs were changed, with Phil Bardsley and Charlie Taylor making their first league starts of the season, but reuniting the partnership of Barnes and Wood upfront gave Burnley the cutting edge they missed at Bramall Lane.
Barnes scored his fifth of the season, and his first since 25 August, when he poked home James Tarkowski’s nod-down from a corner.
Wood had been sorely missed during the previous two matches due to a hamstring injury, and his disallowed goal had seen him elude two defenders to expertly head home Dwight McNeil’s accurate cross.
The pair combined well for the goal that did stand, with the impressive 19-year-old McNeil latching on to a mistake by Fabián Balbuena to find Wood, who shot first time past Roberto.
The West Ham keeper may have gifted Burnley their third, but in truth, the hosts already looked to be heading for a comfortable win with centre-backs Tarkowski and Ben Mee giving the Hammers’ forward line little to play with.
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Source – BBC
