Goals in either half from Alessandro Diamanti and Carlton Cole hoisted West Ham out of the relegation zone and eased the pressure, at least temporarily, on the club’s manager, Gianfranco Zola.

The West Ham co-owner David Sullivan had introduced a sub-plot to this game’s main theme – his side’s suitability for the relegation fight – by suggesting that the outcome would also reveal whether he or Zola had been correct about the effects of his decision to announce during the build-up that there will be swingeing pay-cuts at Upton Park. Zola, not a man who is easily stirred to protest, angrily denounced the timing of that declaration, saying it risked denting morale. “I hope it galvanises the team and the manager to produce a wonderful performance,” Sullivan replied. “If we win I have made my point, if we lose he has made his point.”

A point that Zola was probably more determined to disprove was Sullivan’s assertion that he might be “too nice” to thrive as a manager. Sullivan subsequently assured the Italian that he was not in imminent danger of being dismissed, but Zola nonetheless decided it was time to show he was capable of making cold-hearted decisions, dropping Mark Noble and Jack Collison, two youngsters in whom he had hitherto kept faith despite jaded-looking recent performances. As he sought to end a run of six games without a win, Zola also gave a first start to January signing Mido up front, and deployed fit-again Herita Ilunga at left-back, a position where West Ham had been vulnerable during the Congolese’s absence.

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish had been forced to alter his line-up for the first time in 13 Premier League matches, the most notable of his three changes being the selection of the veteran striker Kevin Phillips for the injured Christian Benítez, but his team retained the compactness that has made them so difficult to infiltrate this season. West Ham began buoyantly, betraying no trace of concern about future earnings, but for all their earnest interplay they struggled to prise the visitors apart. Two tame efforts from Mido and a decent shot over the bar from Diamanti were all they mustered by way of goalscoring opportunities in the opening half an hour.

After absorbing early pressure Birmingham grew as an attacking force. Cameron Jerome should have put them in front in the 29th minute but shot wide after the ball broke to him at the edge of the box. That drew a response from the hosts, and Cole, after cleverly creating space for a shot in the box, cracked the ball just wide two minutes later.

Seconds before half-time the home side got the breakthrough they craved. The impressive Scott Parker pierced the visiting defence with a strong run before being brought down on the edge of the box by Scott Dann. Diamanti curled the free-kick into the top corner.

Diamanti was also responsible for the first threat of the second half, skipping past two opponents in the 55th minute before testing Joe Hart with a bobbling shot from 25 yards. Hart did not fail.

West Ham were brimming with confidence now, however, and added a deserved second goal in the 67th minute. Julien Faubert, venturing forward for the first time in the evening, created the chance with an overlapping run down the right and a cross to the near post that Cole met with a well-directed header.

Though West Ham spent most of the rest of the game seeking a third goal, they defended valiantly on the few occasions it was required. Matthew Upson blocked a close-range shot from Jerome in the 80th minute. That was the clearest opening Birmingham could forge as West Ham’s defence and midfield, in which Parker was outstanding, worked diligently to deny their opponents space to create. This alert, powerful performance represented a substantial improvement on listless recent outings. It seemed the home players were galvanised. Leave it to Zola and Sullivan to determine what by.

Premier LeagueWest Ham UnitedBirmingham CityPaul Doyleguardian.co.uk

• Gold and Sullivan hope West Ham ‘thrash’ Blues this evening
• ‘The spokesman for the football side should be the manager’

Alex McLeish will pin up David Gold and David Sullivan’s comments in the dressing room at West Ham United tonight to motivate his players. Gold said yesterday: “I really want to whack Birmingham” and the other former Birmingham owner Sullivan added, “I hope they get thrashed five-nil”.

Birmingham travel to Upton Park with McLeish admitting that he believes his team are safe from relegation after accumulating 37 points but West Ham are anything but secure. “I’ll pin them up,” said McLeish. “They’ve done my team-talk for me. Thanks a lot the two Davids.”

Although Sullivan and Gold appointed McLeish as Birmingham’s manager in November 2007, the relationship between the respective parties had started to break down following relegation to the Championship at the end of that campaign.

McLeish gave a flavour of the frustration he felt when he said that managers, rather than club owners, should offer their thoughts on the “football side”. McLeish said it is vital there are “some demarcation lines” to protect the spirit within the dressing room and claimed that ­Sullivan and Gold had crossed those ­during their time at Birmingham.

“In my experience in football, the spokesman for the football side should be the manager. I have always believed that and I still believe that,” said McLeish. “The game has changed. It’s showbiz. We’re in the biggest league in the world and it stands to reason that owners who put their own money into clubs should have a say. But there has got to be some demarcation lines in terms of team spirit and togetherness.” Asked whether Sullivan and Gold crossed those lines, McLeish replied: “A couple of times.”

Birmingham’s improvement in form has coincided with the change of ownership with Carson Yeung replacing Gold and Sullivan in October last year. Since then Birmingham have lost only twice in 19 matches, against Arsenal and Chelsea, with that remarkable run of form propelling the club to eighth in the Premier League and almost certainly guaranteeing another season in the top flight with 14 matches remaining.

“It’s a fantastic achievement because at the beginning of the season the pundits couldn’t see where the goals were coming from and they thought we would be relegation candidates. We’ve changed a lot of people’s minds,” said McLeish, who is expected to start with Kevin Phillips on the bench tonight despite the striker’s two goals against Wolves on Sunday and an ankle injury ruling out Christian Benítez.

Despite describing Birmingham’s position as “pretty secure”, McLeish expressed his confidence that there will be no easing off over the next three months. “There are players in the dressing room with aspirations of doing even better in the game and players who have been through it all and have been used to winning. People like [Barry] Ferguson, [Lee] Bowyer and [Stephen] Carr. They will be relentless.These guys will not down tools.”There will certainly be no shortage of incentive this evening. “It was important to get the victory over Wolves. If we had gone down there after a defeat, or having dropped points, we would have been a bit more anxious,” said McLeish.”But now we go there with relish and knowing that these three points are hugely significant. I know the fans are really desperate to win this one.”

Birmingham CityWest Ham UnitedDavid SullivanStuart Jamesguardian.co.uk

West Ham, a club who have become a byword for boom and bust, ­experienced both in 90 minutes here. Fielding four international strikers represented riches for a team who recently featured an untried teenager alone up front; conceding an opener in amateurish fashion ­ultimately allowed Burnley, possessors of the ­Premier League’s smallest budget, to beat them.

Overloaded with attackers after a New Year makeover, West Ham demonstrated a marked fragility in defence. “Football is about balance,” sighed their manager, Gianfranco Zola. West Ham’s debts exceed £100m; Burnley balance the books. They leapfrogged their visitors to leave the ­Londoners in the ­relegation zone.

“We are languishing at the bottom,” said the West Ham striker Carlton Cole. “I don’t want to be there. I just don’t know what’s going wrong. We are creating chances. Now it’s time to finish them.”

It was debut day in east Lancashire with three forwards – Benni McCarthy, Mido and Ilan – making their bows. The winner came from a Burnley newcomer, Danny Fox, a Celtic player until deadline day.

“I gelled well with Benni in the first half and Mido in the second,” said Cole. “I created a few chances for my colleagues.” He ended the match as one of a front four, Junior Stanislas’s wing-play aiding Cole and Mido, while Ilan augmented the attack from the right. The Brazilian scored, Stanislas and Mido hit the woodwork and Cole had a goal disallowed. “We deserved a lot more,” he said.

Burnley, who had gone 12 league games without a win, went ahead when Matthew Upson’s hesitation allowed Fox’s long pass to reach David Nugent, who finished deftly. The striker then provided a timely word before the left-back’s fine free-kick.Having taken an indirect route to the Premier League, via Walsall, Coventry and Celtic, Fox took the direct route to goal.

Fox said: “I wasn’t going to shoot but Nuge came up to me and said, ‘Go for goal.’ This has to be the best day of my career. It was always my dream to play in the ­Premier League.”

“What a great debut,” said Brian Laws. “He’s always a threat from set pieces.” The manager’s rationale for recruiting Fox may not find favour with Stephen ­Jordan and Christian Kalvenes, the left-backs he inherited from Owen Coyle. “I felt the left side was very weak,” said Laws, having asked Fox to channel the energy of his other full-back, Tyrone Mears.

Balance, again, was the issue. For West Ham, who started this match slowly and finished frenetically, it remains the objective.

Premier LeagueBurnleyWest Ham UnitedRichard Jollyguardian.co.uk