Burnley were no match for Manuel Pellegrini’s West Ham who cruised to a 4-2 victory at the London Stadium.

The Clarets showed plenty of heart after falling behind with Johann Berg Gudmundsson cancelling out Marko Arnautovic’s opener. The Hammers again took the lead before Sean Dyche’s side equalised through substitute Chris Wood. However, goals from Felipe Anderson and Javier Hernandez secured a well-deserved victory for the hosts.

The game was a must win for the Clarets who have struggled immensely this season. Dyche’s side secured European football for the first time in 51 years last season but have failed to build on their performances. After being knocked out of the Europa League, Burnley are now just three points above the relegation zone in the Premier League. As well as conceding too many goals, the Clarets are in desperate need of a playmaker to improve their fortunes.

In the January transfer window, Dyche would be wise to target Wigan Athletic maestro – Nick Powell. Valued at £2.7m by Transfermarkt, the former Manchester United man was tipped for a bright future after graduating the youth academy at Old Trafford but failed to break into the first-team. However, Powell has finally realised his potential with the Latics and was a crucial player during their successful promotion bid to the Championship.

The 24-year-old’s excellent form has continued in the higher division with Powell scoring four and assisting five in his first 14 appearances. Despite his increasing importance to his side, Powell has less than one year remaining on his current deal. If an agreement has not been reached in January, Burnley could be able to grab themselves a bargain.

His creativity and ingenuity in the engine room could be the catalyst for a New Year revival.

Burnley fans, thoughts?