Cork's experience vital - Jackson

And Clarets interim boss Mike Jackson had no hesitation in restoring Jack Cork to the line up for his first game at the helm after replacing Sean Dyche.

It has been one of the more surprising aspects of the season that Cork had started so few games under Dyche – just 12 of 30 in the Premier League.

The 32-year-old, in his third spell at the club, started the season in the side, playing the first two games alongside Josh Brownhill in the centre of midfield.

But while he was brought in to play in a three with Brownhill and Westwood against Manchester City and Southampton in October, it would be December before he featured again, playing four of the next five games, before being left out after the New Year defeat at Leeds.

When Westwood was out after testing positive for Covid in February, Cork came back in, as Burnley enjoyed their best week of the season, winning at Brighton and at home to Spurs, before holding Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

But at Palace, down the road from where Cork was born in Carshalton, on Westwood’s return to the squad, he came on for Cork after an hour, and Cork was left out again for the next three games, before playing in a three with Brownhill and Westwood in the 2-0 defeat at home to Manchester City.

Sections of the support had clamoured for his return, and at West Ham they got their wish.

The side have since picked up four points from six, with Cork a key cog in the move towards a more patient brand of football.

Jackson wanted Cork’s experience and composure in possession, and explained: "We had a look at the previous games and the situation we were in, and we thought about Jack, with his experience.

"He reads the game really well, really good character as well - another one in the group - and we just thought he'd give us that little bit of calmness in the middle of the park as well.

"Jack's got that composure, he's got that about him as a person as well.

"I think you need that in the middle of the park, being able to read those situations.

"He complements Josh as well, as he did Westy, and we have Dale (Stephens) as well, so we have four - three now with Westy's injury - to choose from.

"Jack still knows the game, he knows where to be, so he's thinking one step ahead all the time.”

Cork has always covered the ground well, his physical statistics among the best in the division, but he is less box to box these days, dovetailing with Brownhill in that respect nowadays: "With a little bit of experience and age, sometimes your game changes a little bit, but if you look at the numbers he's still knocking out in terms of ground covered, he's still really high up there.

"He's a really fit lad and keeps churning out the yards.”