Pope's saves earn point against tired Irons

West Ham 1 Burnley 1

Playing against a team with no manager, what could possibly go wrong? It's an Easter dash to the London Stadium on the Overground to meet Nigel, minus his lucky banana but with a not-very-lucky Blackwell's bag, Matt, who has just purchased a WHU Arthur Masuaku mug, Michael and Fraser. Carlos Tevez is on the pitch, though thankfully we haven't done any third-party deals with his owners for this appearance.

After a tentative ten minutes West Ham start to get some rhythm together, with Antonio whipping in a dangerous cross, Bowen's shot heading for the top corner tipped away by Pope and Cresswell having a shot kicked off the line by Tarkowski.

Then comes a fair tussle for the ball between Vlasic and Westwood, with the Burnley man going down and in trouble. Vlasic is holding his head in his hands and the players are visibly distressed by what looks like a horrible injury. There's an eight-minute stoppage before Westwood goes off, to a round of applause, followed by another medical emergency in the Bobby Moore Stand.

That break seems to disturb West Ham's concentration. The side concede first a free kick and then a corner. Cornet — who likes to blow his own trumpet suggests Nigel — whips in a good corner, Fabianski is stuck on his line, Rodriguez heads against the bar and Weghorst gets above Soucek to head home the rebound and give Burnley hope in their relegation fight.

The Hammers look very tired after the heroics of Lyon. With Burnley ceding possession the Hammers lack creativity and incisiveness. It should be two just before half-time. The out-of-sorts Johnson miscues a clearance allowing Cornet to break. The winger puts the ball past Fabianski and goes to ground after contact. Penalty and a red card for Fab. Bizarrely, Cornet, who has never taken a club penalty, insists on the ball, and slices a Fancy Dan penalty wide of the post to mass derision from the home fans.

At half time Nigel quips that defeat might be good for big picture of sending Big Frank and Everton down. We end up discussing the Invisible Man, Alex Kral, who is a Czech international — with Michael suggesting that of all the Doctor Who Monsters we got the not-very-good Krals, not that Michael is a Whovian of any sort. Meanwhile the game is not looking good for Matt's antipodean-based brother Adam, who is yet to see the Irons win on his visits from Down Under.

Rodriguez curls an effort wide early on, but the Hammers do improve in the second half. Though the Vicar's Son sitting behind me is having his patience tested and suggests that Vlasic can't tackle, shoot or dribble, and asks, like war, what is he good for? 

Sub Benrahma does inject some impetus to the Irons' attacking. The equaliser comes after Antonio wins a free kick. Lanzini curls in a good ball and Soucek shoulders home in a packed box. 

With 16 minutes left the Hammers press for a winner, only to be denied by Burnley's inspired goalkeeper. Pope tips over an Antonio long-range shot and then produces a brilliant Gordon Banks-style save to tip away Diop's header with one hand. In the final minutes Bowen releases Antonio, who races through in a one-on-one only to be denied by another fine Pope save.

You have to admire the resilience and spirit of this West Ham side, though it's again obvious that with this small squad we will struggle with the demands of Thursday-Sunday football. It was a game either side could have won. Still, at least there's a week's break until Chelsea and Burnley played with a lot of spirit. Though the Europa League is now looking like WHU's best hope after this chance of going sixth was spurned.

PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 5; Johnson 5, Dawson 7, Diop 6, Cresswell 5; Rice 6, Soucek 7, Vlasic 5 (Benrahma 6), Lanzini 6 (Fornals 6); Bowen 5, Antonio 5.