Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist
West Ham have the chance to climb out of the relegation zone as they face a Burnley side one place above them in 17th in the table on Saturday (15:00 GMT). BBC Sport examines some of the key themes before the match.
Hammers hope for repeat performance
The Hammers claimed their first home win of the season last weekend and are vying for back-to-back top-flight victories, a feat they have managed only once since David Moyes departed as manager in May 2024.
Sunday’s 3-1 win against Newcastle was clearly much needed, but supporters will take heart from the performance as well as the result.
Not only did West Ham deservedly beat the Magpies, dominating in terms of expected goals and shots on target, they demonstrated rarely seen fighting spirit, refusing to let heads drop despite Jacob Murphy’s fourth-minute opener for the visitors.
It was the first time the Hammers have come from behind to claim three points since May 2024, ending a winless run of 32 league matches in which they trailed.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s team will hope to maintain that momentum against a Burnley side who are winless in the previous six meetings between the sides.
Can shot-shy Clarets claim another clutch win?
Burnley failed to register a shot on target in their defeat by Arsenal, and while the Gunners are the most formidable defensive unit in Europe right now, the Clarets’ lack of cutting edge has been a recurring issue.
They have attempted just 74 shots in the top flight this season, comfortably the league’s lowest figure.
Their average of 7.4 shots per game is also the lowest ever across a Premier League season in the 28 years that such data has been recorded.
However, Scott Parker’s team have been clinical with the few opportunities they have created, with their shot conversion rate of 16.2% second only to Tottenham this term.
Crucially, they have also demonstrated a knack for claiming clutch wins against potential relegation rivals, beating both Leeds and Wolves last month.
They won at Molineux in their last away match so are seeking to win consecutive top-flight matches on the road for the first time since July 2020 – with the second game in that sequence a 1-0 victory at West Ham.
