West Ham beat Sunderland 3-1 at a delighted London Stadium on Saturday and this feels like a huge moment in the season for the Hammers.
They kept their nerve and managed to build on their huge win at Spurs last weekend, as positivity is now flowing.
WATCH — Full match replay
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were 3-0 up at half time thanks to in-form Crysencio Summerville’s header, a penalty from the excellent Jarrod Bowen and a belter from the sensational Mateus Fernandes. Brian Brobbey grabbed a consolation goal for Sunderland who badly missed injured captain Granit Xhaka on the pitch, and the Swiss midfielder was involved in an angry exchange with home fans in the stands as that briefly halted the game late on.
With the win, their second on the trot, West Ham move on to 20 points and have dragged plenty of teams into the relegation scrap. Sunderland missed the chance to momentarily go fourth as they remain on 33 points and have now gone seven league games without an away win.
Attacking trio crucial as Hammers find momentum
The trio of Summerville, Fernandes and Bowen scored and they are so crucial to West Ham’s hopes of staying up. Nuno Espirito Santo loves to have three forward players charging up the field in unison and it worked so well at Forest with Gibbs-White, Elanga and Hudson-Odoi a dangerous trio. He’s recreated that at West Ham with Bowen and Summerville so direct out wide and Fernandes gives the Hammers drive and positivity from central midfield. That trio, plus the January additions of Pablo and Castellanos, gives the Londoners a different dimension and if they do add Adama Traore too they will have plenty of players to play the way Nuno wants to. There is now a very settled, direct look about this West Ham side in attack and that is what will get them out of trouble. Yes, they have to improve defensively, but getting Summerville, Fernandes and Bowen in dangerous positions as much as possible will be the difference.
What’s next?
West Ham head to Chelsea for a big London derby next Saturday, January 31. Sunderland host Burnley on Monday, February 2.
West Ham vs Sunderland score: 3-1
Summerville 14', Bowen 28', Fernandes 43'; Brobbey 66'
West Ham vs Sunderland live updates! — By Joe Prince-Wright
Fernandes hits the bar from distance!
What a hit from Mateus Fernandes as he hits the crossbar, then the ball loops back up and Soucek pushes Roefs who drops the ball over the line. A foul is given.
O’Nien hits the woodwork!
Luke O’Nien whips in a cross but he gets it a bit wrong and it’s flying towards the top corner. It is going in but Areola manages to get a touch on it as the ball hits the post and the bar. So close to being 3-2 ahead of the final few minutes plus stoppage time. Vital stop from Areola.
Brobbey heads home!
Game on? Mukiele does superbly down the right as he charges forward and his cross is perfect for Brian Brobbey to head home. Over 20 minutes to go, plus stoppage time. If Sunderland get another goal soon...
Hammers looking very comfortable
The hosts are looking very comfortable in the second half and showing no signs whatsoever of nerves. Cirkin, Diarra and Talbi coming on at half time for Hume, Reinildo and Mundle has made no real difference for Sunderland.
Half time: West Ham 3-0 Sunderland
That is pretty much the dream first half for West Ham. 3-0 up and cruising and they have made the most of Sunderland’s lackluster display. The Hammers are given a standing ovation off the pitch. Their fans can’t quite believe it.
Fernandes with a stunner!
Mateus Fernandes scores a beauty to put West Ham 3-0 up. The ball finds him over 25 yards out and he whips it into the net as Roefs gets a touch on it. That all came after he played a wonderful long ball to Summerville to set up the move.
Penalty to West Ham... and Bowen scores!
Oliver Scarles skips into the box on the left and Trai Hume sticks his leg out and catches the West Ham left back. The referee points to the penalty spot and there is clear contact. Jarrod Bowen steps up and slots home right into the bottom corner as Roefs can do nothing about that. 2-0 to West Ham inside the opening half hour.
Ballard heads just over!
Sunderland so close to an equalizer. A free kick is taken short and a ball to the back post sees Ballard wrestling with Soucek. The Sunderland center back somehow gets his head on the ball but directs his header inches wide of the far post. What an effort that was.
Pablo fires over from close range
A lovely West Ham move results in Pablo being found in the box, six yards out, but he smashes over from a tight angle and under pressure from Roefs. He has to hit the target. That could’ve easily been 2-0.
Hume should equalize right away!
A long throw is flicked on and Hume has a chance to head home but gets too much on it and it loops just over.
Summerville heads home!
Brilliant play by Bowen on the right and he clips in a wonderful cross that Summerville hammers home with his head. West Ham’s two wingers combine and that is the perfect start for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
Xhaka a huge miss for Sunderland
Not in the squad due to an ankle issue, Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka is a massive miss for the Black Cats. West Ham are doing well to swarm all over Sunderland in midfield.
Areola denies Sadiki
After a long throw pops out to the edge of the box Sadiki smashes a controlled volley on target and Areola has to push it over. Bright start from Sunderland.
West Ham lineup
Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Todibo, Scarles; Bowen, Soucek, Fernandes, Summerville; Pablo; Castellanos
Sunderland lineup
Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo; Hume, Sadiki, Le Fee, Mundle; Mayenda, Brobbey
West Ham team news, focus
OUT: Lukasz Fabianski (back), Malick Diouf (international duty - AFCON) | QUESTIONABLE: Lucas Paqueta (back)
Sunderland team news, focus
OUT: Bertrand Traore (knee), Arthur Masuaku (ankle) | QUESTIONABLE: Habib Diarra (international duty - AFCON), Chemsdine Talbi (international duty - AFCON)
West Ham vs Sunderland preview - By Nick Mendola
The Irons won at Tottenham Hotspur last time out to claim a first Premier League win since November 8, ending a 4D-6L run in the Premier League. The three points pulled Nuno Espirito Santo within five points of his former club occupying the 17th place: Nottingham Forest. There’s hope in East London.
Sunderland, meanwhile, also picked up a much-needed win in Week 22, defeating Crystal Palace 2-1 at home to turn a five-match winless run into a respectable seven-match run of 2W-4D-1L. The Black Cats are almost all the way back from the heavy roster challenge that was a handful of key players being unavailable due to their nations participating in the recently-completed Africa Cup of Nations.
Regis Le Bris’ newly-promoted side sit ninth on the table with the third-fewest goals scored in the division and the third-fewest goals conceded, too.
West Ham vs Sunderland prediction
A cagey coin-flip? West Ham do feel quite due for a nice little uptick in form, while the Black Cats could well regress a bit. Still, it’s a fool’s errand to select one of these over the other, even in London. Good news? This writer’s not worried about a label. West Ham 2-1 Sunderland.
How to watch West Ham vs Sunderland live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 7:30am ET Saturday
Venue: London Stadium — East London
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch on USA Network
