Burnley’s last trip to the Hawthornes finished 4-0, so things could only get better from there, right?
Wrong. West Brom kept the status quo, and with it moved themselves into the top half of the table with a 4-0 win earmarked by a starring role from James Morrison, who scored a goal and was critical in two others.
West Brom got a gift just four minutes in, and they jumped on the chance. A low cross in from James Morrison only found defender Dean Marney, but his sliding clearance instead poked the ball right to Matt Phillips waiting in front of net, and he poked in the early Christmas present for a 1-0 lead.
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With Burnley pushing following the early deficit, the Baggies would double the lead 11 minutes later as Morrison did it all himself on the break. Bursting forward on the counter, he rifled a low, curling shot that bent expertly into the bottom corner.
Morrison continued to be dangerous, stealing a horrible pass by goalkeeper Tom Heaton, only kept out on a last-ditch tackle by Michael Keane that forced the Baggie midfielder to blaze over.
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Following the second goal, it was all Baggies until the break. Solomon Rondon nearly scored a blinder, lofting a long effort towards the far corner, but Burnley continued to prove porous, and West Brom punished them again before halftime. Morrison again pulled the strings, delivering a beautiful ball through traffic to Matt Phillips on the left. Phillips worked on the ball and beat Matthew Lowton with a touch towards the end line and lofted a perfect ball high for Darren Fletcher right on top of the back post for an easy tap in.
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After halftime, it was slightly more even, but West Brom continued to look most likely to score, and they were just that. A wonderful touch from Morrison spruing Allan Nyom down the left, and he crossed to Rondon in the box who only needed a turn and a shot, and the effort deflected slightly on its way into the back of the net for West Brom’s fourth.
The win for the Baggies bumped West Brom from 12th to 9th as they move above Burnley as well as Southampton and Bournemouth, sitting them on 16 points. Burnley, meanwhile, drops to 12th as the Baggies jump above.
