EFL Championship REVIEW 23 Aug 2026: Price Double Sends West Brom Past Burnley And Up To Second

West Bromwich Albion came from behind to beat Burnley 3-1 at The Hawthorns, with Isaac Price scoring twice in the second half after Harry Whitwell had cancelled out an early own goal. Callum Styles turned Jacob Bruun Larsen's cross into his own net after eight minutes to put Burnley ahead, but Whitwell levelled on 18 minutes, Price put West Brom in front for the first time three minutes into the second half, and Price added a 65th-minute penalty after Bashir Humphreys had fouled Whitwell in the box.

The win leaves West Brom on six points from two games, level with Millwall and Charlton at the top of the Championship but second on goal difference behind Millwall. Burnley, promotion favourites after their relegation from the Premier League last season, remain on a single point having also drawn their opening match, and sit 19th in the table.

West Brom were without striker Aune Heggebo, who was serving the first of a two-match ban for what the FA ruled was deception of a match official during a goal against Norwich. Head coach James Morrison defended the Norwegian afterwards, saying: "He was deemed to have cheated the referee which he didn't. Yes the ball hit his hand but with the pace of the cross and the keeper touching it, it's very hard to get out of the way." Morrison also praised his side's second-half display: "I felt like Burnley couldn't handle our intensity really, and I could smell that at half-time, so the message was to up the intensity."

Burnley were missing top scorer Zian Flemming with a calf injury amid transfer speculation, and head coach Nicky Hayen was blunt about his side's performance. "I think we didn't have the energy, desire and hunger of the home team," he said. "We had problems and no solutions. I didn't expect this – it was an eye-opener for everyone, myself included. We didn't play as a team – more like individuals. We have to go back to basics like last week." Hayen was referring to Burnley's opening-day draw with West Ham United.