Team news

Burnley preview
New signing Danny Fox faces a late fitness test to see if he will be able to make his Burnley debut against West Ham.

Fox arrived at Turf Moor still nursing a groin strain he sustained at his previous club Celtic but the defender trained with his new team-mates this week and could feature.

Fellow new recruit Jack Cork will also be hoping to make his first appearance after joining on loan from Chelsea.

David Nugent is available again after missing the 2-1 defeat against Chelsea while negotiations were being finalised about extending his loan deal from Portsmouth.

Kevin McDonald and Christian Kalvenes should be fit despite coming off with knocks during the Chelsea match while Chris McCann is back in training after his knee injury and Stephen Jordan is also pushing to be in contention having spent a fortnight out with a hamstring strain.

Steven Caldwell (groin) and Graham Alexander (calf) are still sidelined.

Burnley boss Brian Laws accepts his six January signings have something to prove.

Laws has brought in Leon Cort, Fox, Frederic Nimani, Nicky Weaver and Cork and has extended Nugent's loan as he attempts to haul the club to safety.

He said: "It's a massive motivational factor and I like the fact people have got something to prove because I know I'm going to get everything out of them.

"They are coming here for the right reasons rather than the wrong reasons, so they were prime targets for me."

West Ham preview
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola faces a selection headache.

Zola has gone from having limited attacking options to a choice of six strikers following the club's transfer dealings in the January window.

The Hammers signed forwards Benni McCarthy, Mido and Ilan prior to Monday's transfer deadline.

Mido and McCarthy are expected to feature but Danny Gabbidon, Guillermo Franco and Kieron Dyer (all hamstring) are ruled out. Ahead of the game, West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola has tipped defender Matthew Upson to make Fabio Capello's England squad for this summer's World Cup finals.

The Hammers fended off interest in the 30-year-old during the transfer window from a number of rivals in the Barclays Premier League.

Zola and the club's new owners, David Sullivan and David Gold, see retaining the likes of Upson and goalkeeper Robert Green as a major coup for the club.

And the Italian, believes Upson can secure his place on the plane to South Africa with some excellent performances for West Ham.

Zola said: "I think he has been playing very well. He didn't perform as well as he could at the start but now he's one of the best players I've had.

"His mental strength is getting better and better. I know he has two very good players in front of him [in the England team], it depends on the condition of those players.

Burnley vs West Ham

Last modified 22:34 06/02/10

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It was just what Burnley needed – and doubtless had the Royal seal of approval.

Burnley’s first Premier League win since the end of October – and a maiden success for new manager Brian Laws – lifted the Lancashire club out of the bottom three and above their hapless opponents.

News of the momentous event presumably reached Prince Charles, revealed this past week as a Clarets fan.

HRH visited Turf Moor and wished his team good luck in their relegation fight.

Perhaps they should give him a season ticket.

Whatever Charlie Boy’s influence, Burnley were a side inspired to produce the kind of purpose and defiance they will require to preserve their top flight status.

They hounded West Ham all afternoon and induced the mistakes that proved the undoing of Gianfranco Zola’s men.

David Nugent capitalised on Matthew Upson’s howler and new boy Danny Fox delivered a stunning free-kick to effectively clinch the points.

The Hammers mustered a late rally and one of their transfer window signings, Ilan, gave Burnley a tense last few minutes.

He reduced Burnley’s lead and might even have salvaged a point in the frantic finale.

But too few West Ham players matched the desire of Scott Parker, and Burnley will feel they were overdue a rub of the green.

The home side made a bright start and took the lead in the 14th minute when a long ball from Fox allowed Nugent to drift in behind Matthew Upson and calmly lob the stranded Robert Green.

West Ham recovered their composure and new signing Benni McCarthy almost unhinged Burnley as he steered an effort wide.

Jack Collison and Carlton Cole also went close for the Hammers but McCarthy had the best chance when he rounded keeper Brian Jensen, only to see Leon Cort clear his stabbed attempt off the line.

And it proved a costly miss for the Hammers as Fox made it 2-0 in the 55th minute, his curling free-kick deceiving Green and finding the top corner.

Substitute Junior Stanislas then struck the frame of Burnley’s goal with a free-kick and, although Ilan pulled one back for the Hammers in the 81st minute, it was too little too late.