West Ham 1 Burnley 1: Hammers suffer blow in top four hunt as Maxwel Cornet misses penalty in relegation fight

MANAGERLESS Burnley blew their chance to prove that there is life after Sean Dyche.

And now they will need to pull off their great escape without the help of Ashley Westwood following the midfielder’s horrific ankle injury.

With the club still reeling from the shock sacking of football’s longest-serving boss, the last thing they needed was the long-term loss of one of their most influential players.

Westwood was beckoning for a stretcher before he even hit the ground after a 22nd minute challenge with Nikola Vlasic left his right ankle in a mess.

But almost as painful for the visitors was Maxwel Cornet’s first-half penalty miss which ultimately cost his team a potential relegation lifeline.

It leaves the Clarets three points adrift of closest rivals Everton and having played one more game than the only other team they can realistically now catch.

.css-16e4f55{margin:16px 0;}.css-1546w7m{background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);margin:16px 0;}

If Burnley had some sort of plan in place and a new manager already lined up, maybe they could have justified the decision to sack Dyche with just eight games remaining.

But to then find themselves relying on Under-23 boss Mike Jackson, academy coach Connor King and injured captain Ben Mee to take charge makes no sense whatsoever.

It was not even as if there was a radical departure from Dyche’s team or formation for this first game under the makeshift coaching team.

But at least the shake-up seemed to get the message through to a bunch of players who now realise that it is now or never if they are going to retain their Premier League status.

.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}

FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS

Stuck in the relegation zone since the beginning of September with fewer goals than any other top flight team, this was the perfect opportunity for them to show that they are still fighting for survival.

West Ham came into this game knowing that victory would take them up to fifth in the table on goal difference.

But they are also aware that winning the Europa League is now their most realistic chance of qualifying for next season’s Champions League .

And after the euphoria of Thursday’s quarter-final victory in Lyon, this was always going to be a slog which David Moyes’ players could have done without.

And so it proved as weary West Ham struggled to overcome their lethargy and unable to raise their game.

Jarrod Bowen was denied a 16th Hammers goal of the season by a magnificent flying save from Nick Pope before Aaron Cresswell’s volley was cleared off the line by James Tarkowski.

Yet the usual zip was missing from West Ham’s play and the long break for Westwood’s horrific injury seemed to affect them even more than it did Burnley.

No-one was more upset than Vlasic, who was reduced to tears by the sight of his stricken opponent and had to be consoled by a number of team-mates before he could continue.

But no sooner had play resumed after a nine minute delay than it was halted again by a medical emergency in the crowd.

And the entire West Ham defence appeared to have switched off when the game finally got going again and Burnley scored within seconds of the restart.

Jay Rodriguez was first to Maxwel Cornet’s 33rd minute corner to plant a firm close-range header smack against the bar.

But there was to be no reprieve for West Ham as Wout Weghorst muscled his way in at the back post to force the rebound over the line.

It was the giant Dutchman’s first goal in nine games and could not have come at a more opportune time for the visitors.

.css-16e4f55{margin:16px 0;}.css-1546w7m{background-color:rgba(237,245,242,1);margin:16px 0;}

They should have been further ahead in the extended stoppage time at the end of the first-half when the runaway Cornet was flattened by Lukasz Fabianksi as he went round the West Ham keeper.

But the Ivorian international made a complete mess of Burnley’s first penalty of the season and dragged his shot hopelessly wide.

It was a miss they were made to bitterly regret when West Ham levelled in the 74th minute when Manuel Lanzini’s free-kick flicked off the top of Weghorst’s head and flew in off the shoulder of Tomas Soucek.

Not so long ago it would probably have been disallowed, but now that we have the so-called T-shirt rule, no-one really knows what constitutes a handball any more.

That was the signal for West Ham to belatedly spring into life and throw the kitchen sink at their wilting opponents.

But no-one could question Burnley’s fighting spirit as they clung on to their point for dear life thanks to three crucial saves in the final four minutes by Pope.

If the England keeper can maintain this kind of form for the remaining few weeks of the season, then Burnley might just have a chance of beating the drop.

But time is rapidly running out for them and unless they get their new boss in place before this week’s crucial home games against Southampton and Wolves then it could all be too little too late.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk