Burnley Match Preview

Last season, West Ham United only achieved the double over two teams. They will look for their first of the current campaign this afternoon, as another crucial game awaits the Hammers, who are on their travels for the second consecutive week when they face newly-promoted Burnley at Turf Moor.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side’s unbeaten run came to an end at Chelsea seven days ago and they will be looking to bounce back from that defeat, as well as hoping to start February by inflicting yet another loss on Scott Parker’s side just as they did in the 3-2 victory back on 8 November. If this happens, then it will all but condemn their former midfielder’s team to another relegation.

Since that game, today’s hosts have not changed position in the Premier League table and have only picked up a further five points, knowing that fact should fill the Irons with confidence.

The East Londoners will be the fresher of the two sides here as the Clarets were only in action five days earlier when they lost 3-0 at fellow promoted club Sunderland.

Coincidently, today’s visitors have beaten the Black Cats in recent weeks on the way to their current tally of twenty points. If they can achieve maximum points here though, it would stand them in good stead ahead of a huge midweek encounter, as Manchester United arrive for a match under the lights in Stratford.

The ever-loyal fan base would be delighted if they could leave Lancashire having seen Espírito Santo pick up a second win on the road to go with the 2-1 victory he secured at former club Tottenham Hotspur back on January 17. They really should do it too, as the Clarets have remarkably not tasted a top-flight victory since a 3-2 comeback win against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux all the way back on 26 October.

New signing Axel Disasi is fit enough to be involved for the Irons, even though he hasn’t played for Chelsea for several months. After joining them on a loan deal until the end of the season on Monday, it is up to the Portuguese as to whether to select him, or fellow defender Kyle Walker-Peters to replace Jean-Clair Todibo, who begins a three match suspension here.

Adama Traoré could make his full debut after featuring as a late substitute in the derby against the Blues last weekend, while there will be no swift reunion with his parent club for Clarets’ midfielder James Ward-Prowse however, as he is ineligible to play after signing for Parker’s men on a loan deal just ten days ago.

Although the January transfer window closed on Monday, it was confirmed on Friday that youngster Gideon Kodua has turned his initial season-long loan move to Sky Bet League One outfit Luton Town into a permanent switch.

The match is a 3pm kick-off and the referee is Darren England.