West Ham United vs Burnley Predictions

• Burnley have lost five of their last six games
• West Ham have won eight of their last nine at home to sides in the bottom three
• Burnley have lost eight of 15 away trips this term
• The Hammers have taken 16 points from six meetings with the bottom four

Hammers delight & Dyche exits

West Ham’s impressive season continued on Thursday with their comprehensive 3-0 victory at Lyon. The Hammers have eased into the last four in the Europa League, with some marking them out as tournament favourites.

They continue their top four push in the Premier League this weekend, coming up against third-bottom Burnley. The Clarets have made a final, desperate roll of the dice in their survival push by sacking Sean Dyche on Friday. Will that make any difference for them in this trip?

What next for Clarets?

After an almost 10-year spell at the club, Dyche’s spell at Burnley ended following their loss to Norwich. The visitors are certainly struggling, losing five of their last six to fall four points shy of Premier League safety. Having conceded twice in each of their last six, their defensive solidity has abandoned them.

It’s been a season to forget for the Clarets, but they did lose their biggest goal-threat midway through the campaign. They also continue to have one of the lowest wage bills in the division, with their side overachieving during their Premier League stint given their resources. Under more patient owners Dyche would be the perfect man to lead them out of the Championship, but with the Clarets now loaded with debt they panicked.

Burnley are now managerless for this weekend’s game, while the players at their disposal are hardly going to start gegenpressing overnight. Expect to see a typically Dyche side, with few changes from the team which has brought about their recent losing run.

Hammers to prove too strong

West Ham have earned 25 points from their last 27 available in home games against sides in the relegation zone (W8 D1 L0), winning each of the last six in a row. They beat fourth-bottom Everton in their last home league game, winning four of their last five matches at the London Stadium in the Premier League.

Burnley have lost eight times on their travels this season and recent form doesn’t offer much hope for them. Sacking Dyche and using the same approach doesn’t suggest they’ll get any kind of new manager bounce, while the Hammers are riding a high after their midweek win.

The hosts have done incredibly well to progress in Europe and continue their top four push. Their consistency in team selection has been a major factor and their strongest side should see off Burnley here. On form the Hammers are great value at not far off evens, while I’m backing a routine 2-0 victory given the visitors’ defensive issues.

West Ham predicted lineup: Fabianski; Fredericks, Dawson, Diop, Cresswell; Soucek, Rice; Bowen, Benrahma, Fornals; Antonio

Burnley predicted lineup: Pope; Roberts, Collins, Tarkowski, Taylor; Lennon, Westwood, Brownhill, McNeil; Weghorst, Cornet