Isaac Price proved the decisive factor for West Bromwich Albion as they turned a one‑goal deficit into a 3-1 triumph over promotion‑chasing Burnley in the Sky Bet Championship. The Northern Ireland international found the back of the net twice in the second half at The Hawthorns, after first assisting Harry Whitwell’s equaliser, which erased the earlier own‑goal by Callum Styles.
Burnley entered the match 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 evident as the Clarets failed to live up to the high expectations set for them, delivering a lacklustre display after the interval.
Following the defeat, Burnley manager Nicky Hayen was unable to confirm whether Flemming would remain at the club beyond the upcoming transfer deadline on 1 September. Speaking to Sky Sports, Hayen said, "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 victory kept Albion on a perfect start to the campaign, marking their third consecutive win in all competitions and their second league success, which placed them second in the early standings, just behind Millwall on goal‑difference.
Meanwhile, Burnley suffered their first loss of the season, leaving new boss Nicky Hayen still searching for his inaugural Championship win. The match began at a frenetic 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 far up the pitch during the build‑up, but the decision stood. Twenty minutes later, Harry Whitwell restored parity, slipping a low finish past goalkeeper Max Weiss from twelve yards out – his first league goal for West Brom. Burnley then came close to extending their advantage when Bruun Larsen’s effort struck the post after a probing cross from Marcus Edwards.
The first half ended with the scores level at 1‑1, and both sides headed into the break with plenty of work to do. The second half belonged entirely to West Brom.
Inspired by Price’s energy, the team launched a dominant display. Just after the restart, in the 46th minute, Price took the lead for Albion, curling a precise shot beyond a stranded Weiss and into the far corner of the net. The goal gave the home side a 2‑1 advantage and shifted the momentum firmly in their favour. Burnley attempted to respond by making three substitutions at the 57th minute, introducing Ugo Raghouber, Zeki Amdouni and Dastan Satpayev.
However, the changes did little to halt Albion’s surge. Shortly thereafter, a penalty was awarded when Bashir Humphreys was brought down by Whitwell inside the box. Price stepped up and calmly slotted the spot‑kick low to the right of Weiss, who dived the wrong way, making it 3‑1 and effectively sealing the win. West Brom manager James Morrison reflected on the performance, saying, "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‑classed, stating, "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 result not only highlighted Price’s growing importance to the Albion squad but also underscored the challenges Burnley face without Flemming.
As the transfer window draws to a close, the Clarets will need to decide whether to retain their striker or cash in, while West Brom will look to build on this comeback win and continue their unbeaten run in the early stages of the Championship. For fans wanting to keep up with the latest action, Sky Sports offers free Championship highlights and the ability to watch games on mobile devices. Additionally, supporters can follow Sky Sports on WhatsApp for real‑time updates, videos, analysis and more.