Perhaps West Ham fans would tell you they saw this coming. If anyone else does, they are telling fibs. Only long-suffering Hammers supporters, wary of false dawns, may have expected what transpired at a delighted Turf Moor.
The visitors, with five wins from six, were outfought, outplayed and at times outclassed by a Burnley side that were in apparent freefall.
Maybe it was the return of Clarets’ club captain Tom Heaton, who replaced Joe Hart in goal and performed superbly, or maybe it was the overconfidence a good run can bring. For whatever reason, Manuel Pellegrini’s men – who could have gone seventh with victory - were brought to earth with a solid bump.