Isaac Price proved the decisive factor as West Bromwich Albion turned a one‑goal deficit into a 3‑1 triumph over promotion‑hopeful Burnley in the Sky Bet Championship. The Northern Ireland forward found the net twice in the second half after he had earlier set up Harry Whitwell’s equaliser, effectively erasing the own‑goal scored by Callum Styles earlier in the match. Burnley entered the game without their leading striker Zian Flemming, who was sidelined with a calf problem and was also the subject of reported interest from French side Lille. Their absence was felt as the Clarets could not live up to the high expectations placed on them, delivering a lacklustre display after the break that ultimately cost them their first defeat of the campaign.
Following the loss, Burnley manager Nicky Hayen was unable to confirm whether Flemming would remain at the club before the transfer window shuts on 1 September. Speaking to Sky Sports, Hayen said: "If there is an offer that suits the club’s finances, then maybe the transfer can be done, but I want him to stay. Everyone wants 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." West Brom continued their flawless start to the season, notching their third consecutive win across all competitions and their second league victory, which placed them second in the early standings, just behind Millwall on goal‑difference.
The win also marked the first loss for Burnley under Hayen, who is still awaiting his inaugural Championship triumph. The match began at a frantic pace, with two goals coming in the opening 18 minutes.
In the eighth minute, Callum Styles inadvertently turned his own cross from Jacob Bruun Larsen into his own net, giving Burnley an early lead. Albion argued that Hannibal Mejbri had fouled Felix Horn Myhre during the build‑up, a decision that sparked a series of contentious moments before the own‑goal was confirmed.
Harry Whitwell restored parity for West Brom in the 18th minute, slipping a low‑driven finish from 12 yards into the left side of the net, past goalkeeper Max Weiss. It was Whitwell’s first league goal for the club and a moment that lifted the home crowd’s spirits. Burnley then came close to extending their lead when Bruun Larsen’s effort struck the post after a precise cross from Marcus Edwards, but the ball rebounded harmlessly. After the interval, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.
Inspired by Price’s energy, Albion dominated the second half. Just two minutes after the restart, Price opened the scoring for West Brom. He curled a shot from just outside the box, sending the ball over a stranded Weiss who had been caught five yards off his line, and into the far corner, giving the home side a 2‑1 lead.
Burnley responded by making three substitutions in the 57th minute, introducing Ugo Raghouber, Zeki Amdouni and Dastan Satpayev in an attempt to revive their attacking options. However, the changes did not alter the course of the game. Instead, West Brom doubled their advantage when Bashir Humphreys was brought down in the box, earning a clear penalty. Price stepped up and calmly slotted the spot‑kick low to the right of Weiss, leaving the keeper stranded and extending the lead to 3‑1.
West Brom manager James Morrison reflected on the victory, 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, on the other hand, admitted his side were out‑performed. "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," he told Sky Sports.
The result leaves West Brom solidly positioned near the top of the table, while Burnley must regroup quickly if they hope to maintain their promotion ambitions. The match also highlighted the growing importance of Isaac Price for the Albion side; his two goals and assist not only turned the tide but also underscored his potential as a future star in the Championship. As the season progresses, both managers will look to fine‑tune their squads—Burnley possibly awaiting a decision on Flemming’s future, and West Brom aiming to build on their early momentum.
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