Danny Ings, a substitute for West Ham, prevented his former team Burnley from securing a rare victory as the home side valiantly rallied from a 2-0 deficit in an exhilarating Premier League encounter.
Ings, whose attempt was disallowed by VAR just moments before the equalizer, came agonizingly close to securing a winner, only to see his shot rebound off the crossbar in injury time.
Despite the draw, Burnley climbed off the bottom of the Premier League standings, yet they were left to lament dropping points from a winning position once again.
The Clarets seemed destined to clinch only their fourth victory of the top-flight season, and their first in 10 attempts, thanks to goals from David Datro Fofana and a Konstantinos Mavropanos own goal before halftime.
West Ham struggled to make an impact in a lackluster first half, failing to register a shot on target.
However, the Hammers emerged revitalized after halftime and swiftly pulled one back within 30 seconds of the restart.
Midfielder Lucas Paqueta demonstrated the determination absent in the first half, pressing Burnley high and winning possession to calmly slot past Clarets goalkeeper James Trafford.
David Moyes’ side relentlessly pressed for an equalizer, and Burnley appeared poised to secure victory until Ings’ late, dramatic intervention.
The draw sees Vincent Kompany’s team reclaiming 19th place from Sheffield United on goal difference, with both teams remaining eight points adrift of safety with 10 games left.
Meanwhile, West Ham, aiming for a third consecutive league win, remain in seventh place in the standings.
Moyes grateful to Ings but won’t escape scrutiny
The relationship between a portion of the West Ham fanbase and their manager always seems tense, and a loss at home to Burnley wouldn’t have eased the concerns of Moyes’ critics.
Although the Scotsman is bound to face scrutiny following a draw against one of the league’s weakest teams, the spirited comeback meant he didn’t bear the full brunt of the fans’ frustrations at the final whistle.
Nevertheless, the resounding boos after Burnley’s second goal, as well as at halftime, demonstrated how swiftly Hammers supporters could voice their discontent.
With his contract expiring in the summer, Moyes’ future has been increasingly questioned, with some fans even displaying a ‘Moyes Out’ banner during a recent defeat at Nottingham Forest.
A disappointing start to 2024 saw West Ham endure an eight-match winless streak, but consecutive wins against Brentford and Everton elevated Moyes’ side to seventh place in the league.
They were anticipated to continue their momentum with another victory against Burnley, but ultimately had to settle for a point thanks to a player who has struggled to make an impact.
Moyes introduced Ings in the 82nd minute, and the former England international, who has faced limited playing time since his £12 million move from Aston Villa in January 2023, spared his team’s blushes with a well-timed first goal of the season.
Ironically, it occurred against the club where he initially made his mark in the Premier League.
“It’s hard to feel the emotions after scoring, because you just need to keep going, but everyone knows how difficult for me on personal level to get started here,” said Ings.
“It was nice to get a goal and they were unlucky at the end.
“Burnley are fighting for everything and have a real identity in how they play and keep possession, but for us we look at the home games as ones to win and overall we will be disappointed.”