Isaac Price proved to be the catalyst for West Bromwich Albion's dramatic 3-1 reversal against promotion hopeful Burnley in the Sky Bet Championship. The Northern Irish forward found the net twice in the second half at The Hawthorns, after he had already set up Harry Whitwell's equaliser, effectively nullifying the own goal scored by Callum Styles earlier in the match. Burnley entered the game without their leading striker Zian Flemming, who was sidelined by a calf problem and was also the subject of reported interest from French side Lille.
The absence of their talisman was keenly felt as the Clarets were unable to live up to the lofty expectations placed upon them, delivering a lacklustre performance after the interval. Following the defeat, Burnley manager Nicky Hayen was unable to confirm whether Flemming would remain at the club once the transfer window shuts on 1 September. Speaking to Sky Sports, Hayen explained, "If there is an offer that suits the finances of the club, then maybe the transfer can be done, but I want him to stay.
Everyone has the ambition to play in the Premier League, so if he can make that step then okay, everything should be in place, but as long as that's not the case, Zian stays with us." The win kept Albion unbeaten in all competitions for the third consecutive match and marked their second league triumph of the campaign, positioning them second in the early standings, just behind Millwall on goal‑difference. The club's flawless start to the season now includes three straight victories across all fronts, reinforcing their early‑season momentum. Burnley, on the other hand, suffered their first loss of the campaign, leaving new boss Nicky Hayen still searching for his inaugural Championship win.
The opening stages of the game were fast‑paced, featuring two goals within the first 18 minutes. In the eighth minute, Callum Styles inadvertently redirected a cross from Jacob Bruun Larsen into his own net, giving Burnley an early lead.
Albion protested that Hannibal Mejbri had fouled Felix Horn Myhre far up the pitch during the build‑up, but the goal stood. West Brom responded swiftly when Harry Whitwell struck in the 18th minute, slotting a low finish from 12 yards to the left of goalkeeper Max Weiss. The goal marked Whitwell's first league goal for the club and leveled the score at 1‑1.
Burnley then came close to extending their advantage when Bruun Larsen's effort brushed the post after a precise cross from Marcus Edwards. The second half unfolded as a completely different narrative. Inspired by Price's energy, Albion dominated possession and created several clear‑cut chances.
Just after the restart, in the 46th minute, Price curled a beautiful shot past a stranded Weiss, who had been caught out of his line, sending the ball into the far corner and giving West Brom a 2‑1 lead for the first time in the match. Burnley attempted to shake things up at the 57th minute, introducing three fresh faces – Ugo Raghouber, Zeki Amdouni and Dastan Satpayev – in an effort to revive their attacking threat.
The changes, however, failed to produce a breakthrough. Instead, Albion doubled their advantage when Bashir Humphreys was brought down inside the box by Whitwell, awarding the visitors a penalty. Price stepped up confidently and dispatched the spot‑kick low to the right of Weiss, who dived the wrong way, making it 3‑1. West Brom manager James Morrison reflected on the performance, saying to Sky Sports, "When you start the pre‑season and see the fixtures come out and see the opposition you're like, 'Oof, welcome back!' But it was an opportunity to impose ourselves, and we've been doing that, and it's my job to keep us firmly on the ground.
It's been two games, and it's going to be a long, hard season with ups and downs, but we've got to keep working hard on the training pitch and see what happens." Hayen, speaking after the loss, admitted that his side had been out‑worked, "It was totally deserved. They had much more energy than us, winning duels and second balls.
We played too slowly and were far away from the level last week. If we play at our best, we're a top team, but if you play like this, you're an average team, and we have to go back to what we did last week because today we weren't good enough." The match also highlighted the importance of squad depth and tactical flexibility in the Championship, where injuries and transfer speculation can quickly alter a team's fortunes. Price's brace not only secured three points for West Brom but also underscored his growing influence as a creative and goal‑scoring outlet for the club. Meanwhile, Burnley's inability to replace Flemming's impact exposed a potential vulnerability that could affect their promotion push if the striker departs during the summer window.
Looking ahead, West Brom will aim to build on this momentum, hoping to maintain their unbeaten run and continue climbing the table. Burnley, meanwhile, must regroup, address the tactical issues highlighted by Hayen, and find a way to reignite their early‑season form if they are to fulfill the expectations of a promotion‑challenging campaign. For fans wanting to keep up with the latest EFL action, Sky Sports offers a mobile app where you can watch live games and highlights on the go.
The platform also provides free Championship highlight reels, allowing supporters to relive the most exciting moments from matches like this one.