EFL Championship REVIEW 16 Aug 2026: Flemming’s Late Double Saves Burnley; Watford Sink Saints

Zian Flemming scored twice in the last ten minutes to rescue a 2-2 draw for Burnley against West Ham, after Nicky Hayen’s side had trailed 2-0 in his first Championship game in charge at Turf Moor. West Ham struck through Max Kilman inside the first ten minutes and Manor Solomon after the break to lead 2-0, but Flemming pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute and levelled again in the 90th to complete the comeback. It came after a summer in which both clubs sold heavily: West Ham recouped around £140 million for Crysencio Summerville and Mateus Fernandes, while Maxime Estève, Jaidon Anthony and Florentino were among those to head for the exit at Turf Moor.

Watford began life under new head coach Alessio Dionisi with a 2-1 win over Southampton at Vicarage Road, summer signing Iker Bravo and youth product Amin Nabizada scoring inside the opening half-hour before Cyle Larin pulled one back for the visitors after the break. Both Watford goals came from Southampton errors: Bravo pounced on a stray pass from Jack Stephens to open the scoring, and Nabizada seized on another wayward Southampton pass, this time from Ryan Manning, to make it 2-0. Cameron Bragg set up Larin for the visitors’ reply. Southampton’s players were reminded throughout of last season’s ending, with defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis – "one of the villains of the ‘Spygate’ saga" – jeered by home supporters after missing a late chance to equalise. Nestory Irankunda had been sold to Sporting Lisbon 24 hours before kick-off, and last season’s captain Imran Louza was left out of Dionisi’s squad after again asking to leave.