Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of this afternoon's Premier League encounter between Burnley and West Ham United at Turf Moor.

Here are the team news for today's game...

STARTING LINEUPS:

BURNLEY STARTING XI: Heaton, Shackell (c), Jutkiewitcz, Duff, Arfield, Kightly, Ings, Jones, Mee, Trippier, Boyd

WEST HAM UNITED STARTING XI: Adrian, Reid, Cresswell, Downing, Sakho, Noble (c), Jenkinson, Collins, Amalfitano, Song, Valencia

For the hosts, Danny Ings and David Jones return, while Ben Mee makes his 100th start for the Clarets.

Meanwhile, there are two changes for the Hammers today as Mark Noble returns from a calf injury and James Collins replaces James Tomkins, who is out with a thigh problem.

ON THE BENCH:

BURNLEY SUBS: Gilks, Long, Ward, Chalobah, Barnes, Sordell, Wallace

WEST HAM UNITED SUBS: Jaaskelainen, Nolan, Jarvis, Vaz Te, O'Brien, Cole, Burke

So, regarding today's teams, Burnley have drawn four and lost three of their seven matches since returning to the top flight and occupy one of the bottom three positions, in which many suspect they might remain for much of the season. Goals have been hard to come by for Sean Dyche's charges.

The Hammers, meanwhile, have been a completely different proposition to last year's side, where boss Sam Allardyce came under scrunity by a lot of fans. They have won three of their first seven Premier League games in 2014-15; they won just three of their opening 20 league matches last season.

We mentioned that Ben Mee is making his 100th appearance for Burnley today, but he is not the only player to celebrate a milestone at Turf Moor this afternoon. Mark Noble will be making his 200th Premier League appearance come 3pm.

200 UP: Congrats to Mark Noble, who makes his 200th #BPL appearance today. What have been the highlights for you? pic.twitter.com/uw2BTsdF9y — West Ham United FC (@whufc_official) October 18, 2014

Let's hear what the Sports Mole pundits have to say on today's clash:

Now for some head-to-head statistics: Burnley are unbeaten in their last three league meetings with West Ham, having scored at least two goals in each of their last four league games against the Upton Park outfit. Meanwhile, the Hammers have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 13 top-flight meetings with Burnley.

This afternoon, however, the odds are weighed in West Ham's favour, given that Burnley are still looking for their first Premier League win since May 2010.

Stewart Downing is expected to be a threat today - the England winger has created as many goalscoring chances in the Premier League this campaign as Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas (22).

England Under-21 manager Gareth Southgate is said to be in the crowd at Turf Moor today.

Gareth Southgate an interested observer at Turf Moor today following England U21s qualification for next summer's Euro finals #ClaretsLIVE — Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) October 18, 2014

Less than 10 minutes until kickoff now, so I will make my prediction. I reckon, given West Ham's form this season and Burnley's weaknesses up front, it will be 2-0 to the Hammers.

If Diafra Sakho scores today, he will join Carlton Cole as the only other West Ham player to have scored in five successive Premier League matches.

The teams are now emerging from the tunnel... we are about to get this game underway!

As the hosts, Burnley retain their claret kit, while West Ham don sky blue and dark shorts. Who will win the battle of the Clarets today?

KICKOFF! The game is now underway at Turf Moor!

The hosts with the first effort of the game early on as Ings tries to turn and shoot in the box, but Collins is able to block. Moments later, though, the Hammers counter through Valencia and force a corner.

Sam Allardyce's charges are dangerous from set pieces - they've have scored six goals from dead ball situations this season, more than any other Premier League side. However, Downing's effort is claimed by Heaton.

OFF THE CROSSBAR! George Boyd chests the ball and then fires a half-volley against the woodwork with Adrian beaten! The hosts with a very dangerous chance there!

DISALLOWED GOAL! Burnley fans celebrate, but Jutkiewicz is denied his first Premier League goal! Offside given just as he poked home!

Great work from Danny Ings there after beating James Collins and firing on goal just there. His strike partner was offside though on the rebound, so we're still at 0-0. Exhilarating start to this game though!

The visitors are now trying to slow proceedings, in a bid to defuse Burnley's lively start. They're passing the ball around in midfield and keeping possession.

CHANCE! Burnley come forward again, with Boyd laying the ball to Tripper who was given a lot of space on the right-hand flank. His cross is met by the head of Jutkiewicz, but the striker nods over!

Now it's West Ham's turn to threaten, with Valencia marauding forward and blasting an effort from about 30 yards. It was never troubling Heaton, though.

CHANCE! But forward come Burnley again, as a free kick taken by Kightly forces Adrian to backpedal and get his fingertips to it, corner to the home side!

CHANCE! Yet more pressure from Burnley as Adrian is forced to come off his line to deny Ings! A good through ball set him up nicely but the Hammers stopper came off best there.

CHANCE! More goalmouth action in this match, but this time courtesy of the visitors as Cresswell crosses for Sakho, but the resulting header is wide. Poor really bearing in mind his form and how close he was to goal. This game should not still be goalless!

CHANCE! But Burnley counter once again, Boyd firing a cross towards the Hammers box. Collins marked Jutkiewicz well, however, and the striker heads wide.

OFF THE POST! West Ham so close to taking the lead there, Downing beating Mee and firing a delicious shot towards goal that had Heaton well beaten. However, it cannons off the far post, and Burnley are lucky to still be goalless!

BOOKING! First yellow of the day goes to the Hammers, as Winston Reid is booked for a block on Boyd.

Amalfitano hits a poor ball that nearly fell to Sakho, but he would have been offside had he connected with it. Still 0-0.

Now the Hammers seem to be on the up, Jenkinson lashing a cross towards Sakho, but nothing came of it.

A relatively calm period in the game, certainly considering everything that took place previously, but Burnley could now launch another attack as Kightly wins a free kick following a Jenkinson foul.

From the set piece, Boyd is set free and is able to lash a low cross towards the area, but the ball proves a little too heavy for Jutkiewicz in front of goal.

Well, that was certainly exhilarating. We've had a disallowed goal, two strikes smashing the woodwork, and a multitude of chances to make you wonder how this game remains goalless.

Burnley edged it on the balance of play, with the visitors forced to withstand periods of intense pressure, but as it stands, it's all square at the interval.

Diafra Sakho will be aggrieved at his first-half display, as he missed a gilt-edged chance in the 26th minute, nodding wide right in front of goal, and failed to connect with several other balls coming his way. He will equal a West Ham record should he score today, joining Carlton Cole as the only Hammers men to have scored in five successive Premier League matches.

Both sides are fairly even with regards to statistics, Burnley having eight chances to West Ham's seven, while the away side actually edged possession, recording 54 percent compared to the hosts' 46 percent.

Burnley striker Lukas Jutkiewicz was prolific in pre-season, but has yet to find the net in eight competitive games. He came close to breaking his duck today, bundling the ball into the net eight minutes in, but the referee disallowed the strike. Will he have better luck in the second half?

KICKOFF! The second half is underway, with no changes to either side.

And after the restart, it's West Ham who carve out the first opening, as Amalfitano forces a corner from Duff after shooting from the edge of the box.

And he's done it! Sakho's equalled the West Ham record of scoring in five successive Premier League games! Cresswell deserves credit after swinging an inch-perfect cross from the left flank, with the Senegalese nodding home.

Burnley will be angry with themselves at not making their chances count in the first half. Sakho's recent form has been nothing short of outstanding, and despite a mixed opening 45 minutes, he rectified this in the best way possible for himself and for his side.

Burnley have crumbled at the start of the second half. Jenkinson lashes a cross from the right flank, Valencia rising high and nodding home past Heaton from 12 yards to double his side's lead.

WEST HAM SUBSTITUTION: Valencia comes off to a standing ovation from the travelling fans and is replaced by Carlton Cole.

And the hosts are back in this! Adrian loses the ball during a scramble in the box and Boyd is there to prod home. Quarter of an hour played in the second half and chances are now being converted to goals from both sides.

CHANCE! Burnley miss a great chance to equalise as Trippier's pinpoint cross from the right wing is nodded wide by Ings. Inches off the mark.

BURNLEY SUBSTITUTION: The hosts make a change, with Ashley Barnes replacing Jutkiewicz.

Well, that should be it for West Ham now! The visitors are proving incredibly clinical in front of goal, with Cole now getting on the scoresheet. The corner comes in from Noble and Sakho turns provider to set up the sub to stoop in and head home.

CHANCE! And the Hammers are hammering at Burnley's door time and time again! Downing's long-range effort is inches wide of the right-hand post.

Burnley are desperate to give themselves hope of getting something from this game. Arfield's ball sets up Ings to fire beyond Adrian, but the curling effort flies over. Sean Dyche is wondering what to do next.

Thanks to their three strikes today, West Ham now have 15 goals already this season. They didn't score their 13th goal until early December last season. What a renaissance for Sam Allardyce's charges.

CHANCE! The Hammers are determined to rack up the goals today. After some good team play, the move ends with Cresswell's close-range shot falling into Heaton's arms. Should have done better there.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Two changes for Burnley as Chalobah replaces Kightly and Ings comes off for Sordell, while West Ham see Song replaced by Nolan.

The ball falls to Chalobah on the edge of the box, but the man on loan from Chelsea drags his shot wide.

OFF THE BAR! The third shot this afternoon that cannons off of the woodwork, as substitute Barnes smashes a Trippier cross against the crossbar! That would have made for a very dramatic finale had it gone in.

There will be five added minutes of stoppage time at the end of this game.

After an uneventful period of stoppage time, the referee bring an end to proceedings, and the Hammers come away with a very solid away victory. Burnley will be left wondering what might have been had they made the most of all those chances in the first half.

Sam Allardyce's side saw three headed goals from Diafra Sakho, Enner Valencia and Carlton Cole secure the win. George Boyd pulled one back for Sean Dyche's charges, but it wasn't enough. The Clarets remain in the bottom three, with Lukas Jutkiewicz still goalless in Premier League.

Well that's all from me for now, but stick around on Sports Mole as we bring you an in-depth match analysis, player ratings and all the reaction from Turf Moor. Until next time, bye bye!