Zian Flemming struck twice late on as Burnley came back to deny West Ham in a 2-2 Championship draw between the freshly relegated sides at Turf Moor.

West Ham, strong favourites to make an immediate return to the Premier League, looked set for three points when Manor Solomon rifled home in the 72nd minute, doubling the lead given to them by Max Kilman 10 minutes in.

But Burnley kept scrapping, and Flemming struck an 83rd-minute penalty before finding the net in stoppage time to give his boss Nicky Hayen a first league point on his 46th birthday, and prevent what would have been their first home Championship defeat since April 2023.

West Ham may have lost Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville for big transfer fees since the drop, but have crucially kept Jarrod Bowen and this week broke the Championship transfer record with a £22m deal for Arne Engels to underline their promotion credentials.

It was too soon for Engels to be involved here, but for much of the afternoon Nuno Espirito Santo’s side looked to have the edge in quality against a Burnley team who too often made the wrong decision and wasted first-half opportunities.

There was less than a minute gone when Flemming flicked over from Jacob Bruun Larsen’s cross, but it was a false dawn for Burnley as West Ham scored from their first real chance.

Kilman took advantage of poor defending, easily peeling away from Aaron Ramsey to head in Bowen’s free-kick for his first goal in 68 West Ham appearances.

With former manager David Moyes watching on, West Ham were bossing possession as a full away end dominated the atmosphere at Turf Moor, with plenty of bright touches from Solomon – a key part of Leeds’ promotion campaign two years ago.

Burnley had the momentum at the start of the second half, but Flemming had already wasted two excellent chances before he got above Konstantinos Mavropanos to send Marcus Edwards’ inswinging cross onto the post, from where it bounced back into the arms of a grateful Mads Hermansen.

Flemming’s frustration then grew as another effort was cleared off the line by Ollie Scarles from Bruun Larsen’s corner.

West Ham’s first shot of the second half did not come until the 71st minute when Bowen’s strike hit his own man in Kilman, but Burnley never fully cleared it and Mohamadou Kante danced down the touchline before his cross was deflected for Solomon to lash home.

But Burnley got a lifeline when Scarles scythed down Edwards in the box and Flemming sent Hermansen the wrong way, and two minutes into the seven added on, the ball broke to him following a scramble in the box and he picked out the bottom corner.

Nuno eyes attacking signings | ‘Draw tough to take’

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo speaking to Sky Sports on whether he wants to sign a striker:

“Yeah, unfortunately today Pablo felt something in the calf. We need more options in the offensive part of the team, of course.”

On the draw: “It was a tough one to take. First half, we did things quite well. We controlled, we played good, we created a lot of situations.

“Second half, Burnley reacted, had a couple of chances, but after we scored the second time it was about trying to keep the result, having more of the ball. We were not able to do as much as we should.

“We should have kept the ball more and tried to exploit a little bit more of the space that we had. But overall, the result, the chances of Burnley, ourselves, we have to be fair.”

Hayen: It feels like we won the game

Burnley boss Nicky Hayen speaking to Sky Sports:

“I’m really pleased with the way we showed resilience and came back in a game that we actually didn’t deserve to lose.

“The team showed character today, and that’s the most important. They were really clinical, and we weren’t.

“At the end, we level up, and it gives a feeling that you won the game, even if we have one point.

“But the way we came back was really good, and I’m really pleased for everyone.

“When you draw against one of the biggest favourites for the title, you can be happy.”

‘Draw magnifies West Ham’s need for a new forward’

Ex-West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green speaking to Sky Sports on the Hammers’ pursuit of Leeds forward Joel Piroe:

“Bring him in, and today just really magnified that they need it.

“Pablo, for all his endeavour, he’s not scored a goal yet for the club. They had two shots on target today.

“He’s not creating anything, so you’re looking for a guy to add goals, add more creation and someone who’s a target and a force to be reckoned with.

“The season’s so long in the Championship, and Nuno knows this, as he alluded to himself – more options. It was plural.

“The cynic in me says this was a good day for Nuno because he turns around and bang, that’s where we’re short.”

What the result means and next fixtures…