There are few fixtures in English football that capture the magic and unpredictability of the FA Cup quite like a clash between a Premier League struggler and a League One underdog. On February 14, 2026, the Pirelli Stadium in Burton upon Trent played host to just such an encounter, as fourth-bottom League One outfit Burton Albion welcomed West Ham United for a fourth-round showdown. For both teams, the stakes couldn’t have been higher: Burton were chasing history, aiming to reach the fifth round for the first time ever, while West Ham, mired in a Premier League relegation scrap, saw the cup as a lifeline for much-needed momentum.
The match, scheduled for a 12:15 GMT kick-off (7:15 AM Eastern Time), was broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate in the UK, with additional coverage on ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes for viewers abroad. Radio listeners tuned in via BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT, while streaming options were available through Discovery+ and Fubo, ensuring fans across the globe could catch every minute of the action. Pre-match build-up began at 11:30 GMT, setting the stage for a David vs Goliath encounter that had all the ingredients for a classic cup upset.
Burton Albion entered the tie as one of the FA Cup’s biggest underdog stories this season. Despite their struggles in League One—sitting 21st and deep in the relegation battle—Gary Bowyer’s men had found their shooting boots in the cup, netting 14 goals across three rounds, including a memorable 5-0 demolition of Boreham Wood. Yet, their league form painted a starkly different picture, with the Brewers winless in their last five outings and suffering from a negative goal difference at home. Injury concerns loomed large as well, with defenders Dylan Williams and Finn Delap, midfielder Charlie Webster, and forward Julian Larsson all listed as doubts ahead of the clash.
For West Ham United, the FA Cup offered a welcome distraction from their Premier League woes. Sitting 18th and in the relegation zone, the Hammers had nonetheless enjoyed a recent uptick in form under manager Nuno Espirito Santo, registering four wins and a draw in their last six matches across all competitions. A 2-0 victory over Burnley and a hard-fought draw with Manchester United had restored some confidence, but the specter of relegation still loomed large. Nuno, perhaps with one eye on league survival, opted to make ten changes to his starting lineup for the trip to Burton—a decision that would come under intense scrutiny as the afternoon unfolded. The Hammers were forced to do without suspended defender Jean-Clair Todibo and had concerns over the fitness of forward Pablo Felipe, further testing the depth of a squad already stretched thin.
As the teams took to the field, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation—and not just because of the football. Before kick-off, a plane circled the stadium, trailing a banner protesting against West Ham owner David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady. The message was clear: frustration and anger with the club’s leadership ran deep among the traveling fans, who would later be heard chanting “sack the board” as the match progressed.
The opening 90 minutes were a tense, cagey affair. Burton, organized and disciplined, matched their top-flight visitors stride for stride, refusing to be overawed by the occasion or the 47-place gulf between the sides in the English football pyramid. West Ham, meanwhile, looked disjointed and struggled to impose themselves, their lack of cohesion perhaps a consequence of Nuno’s wholesale changes. For long spells, it was the Brewers who appeared the more likely to break the deadlock, buoyed by a boisterous home crowd eager to witness history.
Yet, as the minutes ticked by, the match remained goalless, and the specter of extra time—and possibly penalties—began to loom. The tension was palpable. Would Burton seize their chance and claim a famous scalp? Could West Ham’s Premier League class eventually tell?
It took until the 95th minute, early in extra time, for the breakthrough to arrive. Enter Crysencio Summerville, West Ham’s in-form substitute. Summerville, who hadn’t found the net in his first 16 games for the Hammers but had since hit a purple patch, delivered when it mattered most. Cutting inside from the flank, he unleashed a shot that brushed defender Terence Vancooten and wrong-footed Burton goalkeeper Brad Collins, nestling into the back of the net. It was Summerville’s sixth goal in seven games—a remarkable turnaround in form—and one that rescued West Ham from the prospect of an FA Cup exit at the hands of lower-league opposition.
“Summerville finally offered a rare moment of quality early in extra time,” reported BBC Sport, highlighting the decisive impact of the Dutch winger. The relief among the West Ham contingent was palpable, but the drama was far from over. Just minutes later, the visitors were reduced to ten men when Freddie Potts was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Julian Larsson, leaving Nuno’s side to navigate the remainder of extra time a man down.
Burton, sensing an opportunity, pressed forward in search of an equalizer. The closing stages saw wave after wave of pressure from the home side, with West Ham forced to dig deep and ride their luck. Summerville himself had a golden chance to put the tie to bed but spurned the opportunity, ensuring a nervy finish for the Hammers. Ultimately, though, the Premier League side held on, booking their place in Monday’s fifth-round draw—but not without a major scare.
For Nuno Espirito Santo, the result was a case of mission accomplished, if only just. “It was a let-off for the Hammers who were poor, sloppy and lacked imagination,” noted BBC Sport in a candid assessment. The manager’s decision to rest key players and rotate heavily nearly backfired, but West Ham’s cup run continues—for now. Questions remain, however, about the depth and resilience of a squad facing a grueling relegation battle in the weeks ahead.
Looking forward, Burton Albion will aim to regroup quickly as they host Rotherham in League One on February 17 before traveling to Luton on February 21. West Ham, meanwhile, resume their Premier League campaign with a crucial trip to Bournemouth on February 21, followed by a daunting visit to Liverpool on February 28. As both teams return to their respective league struggles, the events at Pirelli Stadium serve as a vivid reminder of the FA Cup’s enduring allure—and its capacity to produce drama at every turn.
With the fifth-round draw looming and both teams facing pivotal fixtures, the dust may have settled on this particular cup tie, but the reverberations will be felt for some time yet. For Burton, it was a valiant effort that fell agonizingly short; for West Ham, a narrow escape and a timely lesson in the perils of underestimating the magic of the cup.