Burnley fans turned on Scott Parker as the Clarets’ miserable run without a league win continued with defeat to fellow strugglers West Ham.
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The atmosphere at Turf Moor threatened to turn toxic as the Clarets played out a 2-0 defeat to Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, who sit one place ahead of them in 18th.
The Hammers actually offered very little in the main, scoring twice in the first-half from their only two shots on goal, Crysencio Summerville and Valentin Castellanos the beneficiaries.
While the home side rallied afterwards, especially at the start of the second-half where they produced two of three gilt-edged chances, it proved to be far too little, too late.
It means Burnley are now without a league win in their last 16 games, remaining 11 points adrift of safety with only 13 games remaining.
But of more immediate concern is the fan discontent that now appears to be settling in, with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” and “we want Parker out” sung on more than one occasion.
Players and fans even threatened to turn on one another, with Clarets fans in the Cricket Field Stand not taking kindly to Jacob Bruun Larsen’s request for more positivity as he warmed up on the side of the pitch.
Crysencio Summerville celebrates as Marcus Edwards shows his frustration (Photo by Kate McShane/Getty Images)placeholder image
Crysencio Summerville celebrates as Marcus Edwards shows his frustration (Photo by Kate McShane/Getty Images)
Parker made a switch to a back four in his search for a long-overdue league win, with Axel Tuanzebe dropping out of the squad entirely following his poor performance at Sunderland on Monday night, which saw him brought off at half-time.
It’s understood the defender might have picked up an injury, however.
Hannibal took his spot in the team, meaning the Clarets reverted to a back four of Kyle Walker, Maxime Esteve, Bashir Humphreys and Lucas Pires.
Zian Flemming also came into the side as a like-for-like replacement for Lyle Foster, who was also below-par during the 3-0 defeat at the Stadium of Light.
January signing James Ward-Prowse missed out as he was ineligible to face his parent club.
Quilindschy Hartman was left out again, while Jordan Beyer, Connor Roberts, Josh Cullen, Mike Tresor and Zeki Amdouni all remain sidelined.
As for the Hammers, Alex Disasi came in for his debut in place of the suspended Jean-Clair Todibo.
Callum Wilson, a regular nemesis of Burnley’s down the years, scoring eight goals in his 13 Premier League appearances against them, also started as Nuno Espirito Santo made three changes from their 3-2 defeat to Chelsea, including a switch of the goalkeepers.
The Hammers wanted an early penalty when, with just five minutes on the clock, Crysencio Summerville went down inside the box after getting the wrong side of Kyle Walker, but referee Darren England remained unmoved.
It wasn’t exactly clear what Burnley’s approach was. Despite being the home side in what was a must-win game, they actually opted to sit back during the opening stages, with possession levels as low as 19 per cent at one point.
The atmosphere was understandably subdued, but it soon turned nasty when the Hammers took the lead in the 12th minute.
The goal was ridiculously simple in its execution, with the away side taking full advantage of Burnley being wide open on the break. Matheus Fernandes played a simple through-ball for Summerville, who did the rest with a chip over the onrushing Martin Dubravka.
Boos immediately rang out, followed by chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning”, as things threatened to turn toxic.
After the goal, the travelling Hammers fans made their feelings known towards their owners with a chant of “sack the board” as part of an organised protest, as supporters also held up posters. In a rare act of unity, Burnley’s fans joined in.
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The visitors offered precisely nothing in an attacking sense after their opener, but such was the ineffectiveness of Burnley, they didn’t have to.
A second goal soon followed and again, it was all too easy. Kyle Walker was beaten to the ball by Summerville, leaving El Hadji Malick Diouf with the freedom of the left flank.
His centre picked out Valentin Castellanos and he did the rest, glancing home a header into the far corner. Que even louder boos, while others headed for the exits.
We had to wait until the 31st minute for Burnley’s first chance of the game, as Hannibal’s dangerous ball across the face of goal reached Jaidon Anthony, but he got it all wrong and failed to turn home.
Lesley Ugochukwu then marched forward a good 30 or 40 yards from midfield before seeing his effort deflect kindly into the arms of goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
At the other end, Summerville threatened a second of the afternoon when he rounded Dubravka, only to be denied by Bashir Humphreys from a tight angle.
Burnley did offer some resistance before the break, as Marcus Edwards curled just wide of the upright after cutting inside from the right flank.
To sum up the mood, Jacob Bruun Larsen was swiftly booed as he signalled for some positivity from the home fans as he warmed up in front of the Cricket Field Stand. Further chants of “you’re not fit to wear the shirt”, “we want Parker out” and “we want our club back” soon followed.
Burnley did rally up until the interval, but were still unable to find a goal back - leading to more discontent at the half-time whistle.
Josh Laurent was introduced for the start of the second half as Burnley returned to their back five and it almost had an immediate impact, as Zian Flemming went close with a header that appeared to be blocked by the hand of defender Alex Disasi - but those appeals fell on deaf ears.
Edwards then turned and sent a vicious effort towards the far corner but Hermansen did well to turn it behind.
Burnley were certainly giving it a go as they sustained some attacks for the first time in the match, with Edwards and Flemming being denied from close-range in quick succession.
The Clarets were finally giving something for the home faithful to get behind and they returned in kind with their full backing.
But for Burnley to make a game of it, they needed to make the most of their period of pressure, but they were unable to find a way past Hermansen.
Bashir Humphreys was given a let-off just after the hour mark when he allowed Jarrod Bowen to get the wrong side of him, but fortunately for Burnley the forward’s ball to Summerville was overhit.
The game otherwise fizzled out, with West Ham happy to sit on what they had, while Burnley struggled to muster any sort of late fight.
TEAMS
Burnley: Dubravka, Walker, Esteve, Humphreys, Pires, Florentino (Laurent), Hannibal, Ugochukwu (Broja), Edwards (Tchaouna), Anthony (Bruun Larsen), Flemming (Foster)
Subs not used: Weiss, Ekdal, Worrall, Barnes
West Ham: Hermansen, Wan-Bissaka, Disasi, Mavropanos, Diouf (Scarles), Soucek, Fernandes, Summerville (Traore), Bowen (Walker-Peters), Wilson (Potts), Castellanos (Pablo)
Subs not used: Areola, Kilman, Magasa, Kante
Referee: Darren England
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