7M - Match Preview: Burton Albion vs West Ham United – FA Cup Fourth Round Clash

Two sides battling relegation in their respective leagues are set to meet at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday afternoon, as League One's Burton Albion host Premier League outfit West Ham United in the FA Cup fourth round.

This will be the first competitive meeting between the two clubs. Burton will become the 150th different opponent West Ham have faced in official competition.

Match Preview

Since overcoming Queens Park Rangers 2-1 after extra time in the FA Cup third round last month, West Ham have strengthened their Premier League survival bid by taking 10 points from their last five matches (three wins, one draw, one defeat). Their most recent outing ended in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Wednesday.

The Hammers seemed destined for all three points at the London Stadium after Tomas Soucek's second-half opener, but a 96th-minute equaliser from Benjamin Šeško denied them victory. Nuno Espirito Santo's side currently sit 18th in the table, three points from safety with 12 games remaining.

Nuno admitted the late concession against United was "tough to take" following another encouraging display, but focus has now shifted to the FA Cup — a competition he described as "beautiful" and one West Ham have lifted three times in their history, most recently in 1980.

The Hammers aim to reach the fifth round for the first time since the 2022–23 season. They have won their last three fourth-round ties since a 1-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion in 2019–20, and have progressed from each of their last five FA Cup meetings with teams from League One or lower, following a 4-2 loss to AFC Wimbledon in January 2019.

Burton Albion, meanwhile, have struggled to build momentum since their emphatic 5-0 third-round victory away at Boreham Wood. That result was followed by a 3-1 league win over Huddersfield Town, but they have since gone five matches without a victory — three defeats and two draws, including a 2-2 draw with League One's bottom side Port Vale last weekend.

Jake Beesley's second-half brace rescued a point for the Brewers, who currently sit 21st in the table, just one point above the relegation zone. With 16 matches remaining, they are fighting to preserve their third-tier status for an eighth consecutive season.

Gary Bowyer's men face a favourable home fixture against Rotherham United next Tuesday, but first comes the FA Cup — a competition in which they are chasing a first-ever fifth-round appearance.

Burton have been the leading scorers in this season's FA Cup proper with 14 goals (from the first round onward). It is worth noting, however, that they have faced non-league opposition in every round so far: 6-0 vs St Albans City, 3-1 vs Brackley Town, and 5-0 vs Boreham Wood. Nevertheless, their 14-goal haul is the highest by any team from the third tier or below in the first three rounds of the competition (excluding replays) since Oxford United in 1995–96.

Team News

Burton's Charlie Webster and Finn Delap have recently returned to training following injury layoffs but remain weeks away from first-team contention. Saturday's fixture may also come too soon for Dylan Williams and Julian Larsson.

Kgaogelo Chauke's availability is uncertain. Should he remain sidelined, George Evans, JJ McKiernan, and Sulyman Krubally are expected to form the midfield trio.

Tyrese Shade is the competition's leading scorer this season with five goals in just two appearances, including a hat-trick against Brackley Town in the second round. He is set to lead the line alongside either Jake Beesley or Fabio Tavares, the latter having netted three goals in as many FA Cup outings this campaign.

For West Ham, Nuno confirmed that January arrival Pablo Felipe is nursing an unspecified injury and will be sidelined "for a while." Lukasz Fabianski (back) also remains out, while Jean-Clair Todibo is suspended.

Alphonse Areola has been confirmed as the starting goalkeeper. Max Kilman is pushing for a centre-back role ahead of either new signing Axel Disasi or Konstantinos Mavropanos.

Crysencio Summerville has been directly involved in five goals across his last four FA Cup appearances (two goals, three assists), including a goal and an assist in the third-round win over QPR. He is expected to start on the left flank, with either captain Jarrod Bowen or recent recruit Adama Traoré stationed on the opposite side.

Prediction

Burton have scored freely in the FA Cup and will back themselves to find the net once more against a West Ham side that has managed just one clean sheet in 28 matches across all competitions this season.

Nevertheless, the Hammers remain strong favourites to advance and should have little trouble outscoring their League One opponents, even if Nuno opts to rotate his starting lineup.

Prediction: Burton Albion 1–3 West Ham United