Oh no… not another _“must-win”_ game? Except this time, it genuinely is.
With Leeds hosting Forest on Friday night, somebody is dropping points. That means if **West Ham United** win at Turf Moor, we’re either four points behind _both_ of the teams we’re chasing, or three behind one of them. Lose… and we’re staring at being seven adrift of both, or possibly nine behind one. Not even worth thinking about.
So, maths lesson over — let’s look ahead to a massive afternoon against Burnley FC, managed by former Hammer of the Year Scott Parker.
We arrive off the back of that gut-punch late defeat at Chelsea, having led 2–0 at half-time. Still, it’s worth remembering we’d won three on the bounce before that, and spirits in **Nuno Espírito Santo**’s camp are said to be decent. Saturday feels like yet another of those sliding-doors moments for our season.
Burnley sit five points behind us in 19th and are also fighting for their lives. Parker’s side were thumped 3–0 by Sunderland on Monday, but had drawn with Manchester United, Liverpool and Spurs in January — so this won’t be straightforward. That said, there can be no excuses.
Team News
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Jean-Clair Todibo is suspended after his red card at Chelsea, while Axel Disasi _could_ make his Hammers debut following his deadline-day arrival — although I’d be amazed if Nuno doesn’t stick with Max Kilman.
James Ward-Prowse is ineligible for Burnley, and the Clarets also look set to be without Connor Roberts, Mike Trésor, Jordan Beyer, Zeki Amdouni and Josh Cullen.
Personally, I’d bring Ollie Scarles back in and maybe even draft Magassa into midfield — but I don’t see Nuno doing that.
Predicted West Ham XI
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Position
Player
GK
Areola
RB
Wan-Bissaka
CB
Kilman
CB
Mavropanos
LB
Diouf
CM
Fernandes
CM
Souček
RM
Bowen
LM
Summerville
CF
Pablo
CF
Castellanos
This is it. No hiding place.
Burnley will scrap, Turf Moor will be lively, and Parker will have them organised — but we _have_ to show more composure than we did at Stamford Bridge. [Bowen](https://www.claretandhugh.info/jarrod-bowen-bio/) and Summerville should get joy out wide, Souček needs to dominate centrally if selected, and Pablo/Castellanos must start converting work rate into goals.
If we’re serious about survival, these are the games you win.
### Prediction
I’m backing the Hammers to do it — and do it comfortably.
**Burnley 1–3 West Ham**
COYI.