West Brom vs Burnley: Hawthorns test for two in-form sides
West Brom vs Burnley kicks off at midday on Sunday, 23 August 2026 at The Hawthorns in a Sky Bet Championship fixture that pits James Morrison's in-form Baggies against Nicky Hayen's still winless Burnley. West Brom arrive on back-to-back wins; Burnley drew 2-2 with West Ham. Five of the last six meetings between these sides finished level.
Key Takeaways
- West Brom host Burnley at The Hawthorns on 23 August, with a midday kick-off live on Sky Sports.
- The Baggies seek a third straight win after victories over Rotherham and Norwich; Burnley are chasing a first win under Hayen.
- Five of the last six head-to-head meetings ended in draws, but West Brom have lost only two of 14 games under Morrison.
- Jimmy-Jay Morgan has three goals in two games; Burnley's Zian Flemming has scored all three of their goals this season.
- Referee Anthony Backhouse officiates as both managers field 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 formations respectively.
Why does this West Brom vs Burnley match matter?
James Morrison told West Brom's official site there is "tremendous" excitement for the club's first Hawthorns fixture since late April. The Baggies followed a Carabao Cup win at Rotherham with a Championship opener victory at Norwich, and Morrison wants to "back up" that result and make The Hawthorns a "fortress" again.
Burnley were relegated from the Premier League last season and drew 2-2 with fellow relegated side West Ham in their league opener, still searching for a first win under head coach Nicky Hayen. Morrison warned his side must stay level-headed: "One win doesn't mean you've achieved something."
The clash carries extra spice in our Bizarre World coverage because West Brom's opening goal at Norwich came via a controversial handball from Aune Heggebo, who serves a two-game ban and misses this fixture.
Who is playing and how are the teams lining up?
According to BBC Sport's live coverage, West Brom line up in a 4-4-2 with Max O'Leary in goal and a midfield featuring Isaac Price, Felix Myhre, Ousmane Diakité and John Molumby. Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Harry Whitwell lead the attack.
Burnley deploy a 4-2-3-1 under Nicky Hayen, with Mads Weiß in goal and Hannibal Mejbri and Josh Laurent in the pivot. Andreas Bruun Larsen, Aaron Ramsey and Marcus Edwards support Armando Broja up front. Captain Josh Cullen remains sidelined with a serious knee injury.
What do the stats and head-to-head tell us?
Racing Post notes West Brom lost only five of 23 Championship home matches at The Hawthorns last season and have dropped just two of 14 games under Morrison. Burnley remain in transition after relegation, with transfer speculation swirling around Zian Flemming despite his three goals this term.
Five of the last six meetings between West Brom and Burnley finished all square. Bookmakers make West Brom 7-4 favourites, Burnley 6-4 and the draw 23-10. Morrison insists Burnley are "still very strong" with "very good players," but his Baggies will look to impose themselves on a side yet to register three points in 2026/27.