Pat Nevin highlights the ‘one little ability’ that could be the difference between West Ham and Burnley in relegation fight
The fight for Premier League survival could come down to the finest of margins between West Ham and Burnley according to Pat Nevin.
West Ham beat Burnley 3-2 at the London Stadium before the international break to record an important victory at the London Stadium.
The result was Nuno Espirito Santos’ side second in a week following West Ham’s 3-1 win over Newcastle, which means the Hammers are level on points with Burnley in the Premier League table.
Burnley’s superior goal difference currently has Scott Parker’s team above the bottom three, with the Clarets having also recorded three wins this season.
‘There is precious little’ between West Ham and Burnley
Speaking to BBC Sport, [12 November], Nevin believes West Ham‘s extra strength in attack could be the difference in staying in the Premier League over Burnley.
“It is not often you go to a match that ends 3-2 with a last-minute goal and leave thinking, that really was not very good,” Nevin said.
“I have a particular liking for West Ham fans – they are down to earth, are not entitled and always welcoming – but that is where the plaudits stopped after their narrow win against Burnley.
“Granted Jarrod Bowen is a class act when on form, Crysencio Summerville is a livewire, and Mateus Fernandes was the best player on the pitch but that still is not enough.
| Stats/Club | West Ham | Burnley |
| Goals per match | 1.2 | 1.3 |
| Goals Conceded per match | 2.1 | 2.0 |
| Big Chances Missed | 10 | 5 |
“However, they do have a couple of players who know how to get some easy goals. Callum Wilson is a classic poacher and Tomas Soucek likewise gets his fair share by regularly loitering with intent in the area.
”During my career, I played with a world-class finisher in John Aldridge and asked him how he managed to get between 30 and 40 goals almost every season.
“His answer was infuriatingly simple. “Get in between the posts and go where the defenders aren’t,” he said. I took that on board and scored 19 goals that season from the wing.
“This one little ability may well be the difference between Burnley going down and West Ham staying up because in terms of quality play, there is precious little between them as they fight to survive.“
Congested Premier League relegation battle
Wolves have announced Rob Edwards as their new manager, whilst Sean Dyche looks to be turning Nottingham Forest‘s fortunes around at the City Ground.
In such a tight Premier League table, any club currently could be dragged into the mire, with just nine points separating the bottom three to the top four.
Fulham and Leeds are currently in worse form over the past five games than the current bottom three, meaning those two clubs look the most likely to be in threat of the drop.