West Ham United will aim to continue the upturn in form and secure a spot in the FA Cup fifth round when they take on Burton Albion at the Pirelli Stadium on Saturday.
The fourth round of the 2025/26 FA Cup will continue on Saturday, which will be an action-packed day with eight matches. The proceedings will begin with Burton Albion vs West Ham United at the Pirelli Stadium, presenting an opportunity for another “Magic of the Cup” moment.
Burton Albion entered the 2025/26 FA Cup in the first round, and they have beaten St. Albans City, Brackley Town, and Boreham Wood to secure a spot in the current stage. However, the Brewers have endured a frustrating journey in League One, having failed to win their last five games heading into Saturday’s clash with West Ham United.
Speaking of West Ham, the Irons have been on a solid run of form for most of 2026 thus far, and the latest morale-boosting record was the 1-1 draw with the high-flying Manchester United. While the East London outfit would have been disappointed with the late equaliser, they have lost only one of their last six matches in all competitions. This period includes a 2-1 win over QPR in the FA Cup third round to set up the tie with Burton Albion.
Saturday’s match will be the first-ever competitive match featuring Burton Albion and West Ham United. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & tactics
Burton Albion
Gary Bowyer has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Burton Albion manager may be bereft of the services of five first-team players vs West Ham United on Saturday.
Charlie Webster and Finn Delap recently resumed training, but Saturday’s match has come too soon for the duo. Additionally, Dylan Williams and Julian Larsson remain in the treatment room. Meanwhile, Bowyer is sweating over Kgaogelo Chauke’s fitness, and the South African midfielder may be unavailable to take on West Ham.
Brad Collins will take his spot between the sticks, with Burton Albion lining up in a 3-5-2 formation in front of him vs West Ham United on Saturday. The central defensive unit will feature Toby Sibbick, Alex Hartridge, and captain Udoka Godwin-Malife. Meanwhile, Kyran Lofthouse and Jack Arms.
The wide duo will provide width in the final third and protect the three centre-backs. As for the midfield unit, George Evans, JJ McKiernan, and Sulyman Krubally will link up in the middle of the park. Finally, Tyrese Shade and Jake Beesley will be the two strikers for the home side.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Collins; Godwin-Malife, Sibbick, Hartridge; Lofthouse, Krubally, McKiernan, Evans, Arms; Shade, Beesley
West Ham United
Like his counterpart in the Burton Albion dugout, Nuno Espirito Santo has no new issues to worry about ahead of the trip to the Pirelli Stadium. The West Ham United boss will be without three first-team players on Saturday.
Lukasz Fabianski (lower back) and Pablo Felipe (unspecified) remain in the treatment room for the foreseeable future. Additionally, Jean-Clair Todibo will continue to serve a suspension after being sent off in a recent Premier League game against Chelsea.
Alphonse Areola will replace Mads Hermansen between the sticks, with West Ham United lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him vs Burton Albion on Saturday. The backline will feature Kyle Walker-Peters, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Max Kilman, and Oliver Scarles.
As for the midfield unit, Soungoutou Magassa and Freddie Potts will line up in the middle of the park alongside Mohamadou Kante. Finally, Callum Wilson will spearhead the West Ham attack against Burton Albion, with Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Areola; Walker-Peters, Mavropanos, Kilman, Scarles; Magassa, Potts, Kante; Bowen, Wilson, Summerville
Key Stats
- Saturday’s match will be the first ever meeting between Burton Albion and West Ham United in any competition, with the Brewers becoming the 150th different side the Hammers have faced in a competitive game.
- West Ham United have progressed from their last five FA Cup ties against sides from League One or lower since losing 4-2 to AFC Wimbledon in January 2019.
- Burton Albion are the leading scorers in the FA Cup this season with 14 goals (first round onwards). It is the most netted by a side from the third tier of below across the first three rounds of the competition proper (excluding replays) since Oxford United in 1995/96 (also 14).
- West Ham United will aim to reach the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since 2022/23. The Hammers have progressed from their last three ties at this stage since losing 1-0 to West Bromwich Albion in 2019/20.
- West Ham United have lost only one of their last six matches across all competitions. On the other hand, Burton Albion have won only one of their six most recent games, and none of the last five.
Player to Watch
Crysencio Summerville
While Tyrese Shade, Jake Beesley and Jarrod Bowen were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Crysencio Summerville as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s FA Cup clash between Burton Albion and West Ham United at the Pirelli Stadium.
The Dutch winger has been involved in five goals in his last four appearances in the FA Cup (G2 A3), scoring and assisting in the third round this season against QPR. Summerville has also been in impeccable touch in recent weeks, and he will be the go-to player for Nuno Espirito Santo this weekend.
Prediction
Burton Albion 1-3 West Ham United
Burton Albion may have shown remarkable form in the 2025/26 FA Cup thus far, but they have been in dreadful touch in League One in recent weeks. So, with West Ham coming into Saturday’s FA Cup clash at the Pirelli Stadium riding high on confidence, the hosts face a tall order to secure a spot in the FA Cup fifth round.
While the home side will take the game to West Ham, they may not have the quality to trouble West Ham throughout the game. Meanwhile, Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville will continue their exceptional run of form to deliver another victory. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Nuno Espirito Santo and his charges.
