Burnley have been dealt what looks set to prove a serious blow on the personnel front on Sunday, during the club’s meeting with West Ham United.
The player to have been forced into a premature departure from proceedings? Ashley Westwood.
With a little over twenty minutes played at the London Stadium, what looked an innocuous challenge in the middle of the park saw midfielder Westwood and West Ham’s Nikola Vlasic come together.
As the latter wheeled away from the scene, however, it quickly became apparent that Westwood had come out the worse.
The 32-year-old lay grounded in evident pain, as players from both sides quickly rushed to the scene.
One individual left looking particularly devastated came in the form of the aforementioned Vlasic, who, teary-eyed, had to be consoled by West Ham teammates amid the realisation of what his role in the tackle in question had culminated in.
West Ham and Burnley players console Nikola Vlasic, who is in tears after witnessing Ashley Westwood’s horror injury ?
He still managed a smile on his way off the pitch.
Get well soon! ?#PL #OptusSport pic.twitter.com/dDpBjlAQU6
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) April 17, 2022
Unfortunately, it has since been widely reported that Westwood, who was stretchered from the field of play, has suffered a broken ankle/leg.
28′ After a lengthy stoppage in play, Westwood departs on a stretcher. 0-0
Speedy recovery, Westy ?#WHUBUR | #UTC
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) April 17, 2022
Weghorst on target
Turning attentions back towards the action itself in the English capital, despite their concerning blow on the injury front, it is Burnley who are currently in possession of the advantage when it comes to the scoreline on Sunday afternoon.
This comes with winter addition Wout Weghorst having opened the game’s scoring just beyond the half-hour mark, to bring to an end a lengthy fruitless spell in front of goal.
Not only that, but the Clarets too fluffed a glorious opportunity to double their lead on the stroke of the interval, when Maxwel Cornet pulled a spot-kick wide of the post.
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