Another week, another game that Sunderland could do with winning. Eight games into the new season and still there has been no win to shout about, could this be the day?
Injuries have not helped David Moyes get things on the right track, but there is signs that key players will soon be on their way back, then we can judge better what the season looks like holding for the club.
Never been in the former Olympic Stadium before but I have been told that you need binoculars, how true this is I am not sure, don’t really care so long as I see the goals that we all know the lads are eager to score.
But seriously, Sunderland have not scored at West Ham in their last three visits and from those three games there has only been one point picked up.
But if you go back to 2011, the Black Cats beat the Hammers 3-0 on their own turf with goals from Boudewijn Zenden, Stephane Sessegnon, and Cristian Riveros.
Oh how we could do with a repeat of that score.
Vital Quotes:
David Moyes: ‘Lamine and Van Aanholt are back training but, more importantly, Seb Larsson is making really good progress and Vito Mannone has been out doing some handling work as well,’ Moyes said.
‘Some of long-termers are coming back. Adnan won’t be as long, Jason Denayer shouldn’t be too bad. Cattermole is making bit of progress. The only one not on the horizon is Fabio Borini at the moment.
‘We have lost a lot of players who would be involved in games. We don’t have a big squad or experienced squad. We could do with them being back and the signs are it won’t be too long before we get a few more back in the squad.’
Slaven Bilic: ‘You can move away from the bottom with a few wins.
‘It is our home and we need to change that. David Moyes is a great manager and he has the experience.
‘You can talk and analyse, but the best thing to get the confidence back is to win a game and we kept a clean sheet as well.
‘We will try to win and it would be good to have a couple of wins. We are positive and if we play like we did last week we have a chance
‘I know the schedule we have coming up. But all we are thinking about is the next game.
‘The formation I played last week was really good for us. It will depend on the players I have for Saturday. Some are quite versatile.’
West Ham Team News:
West Ham still have injury problems, Andre Ayew is out of this one, although he has been back in training.
Also missing will be Arthur Masuaku, Gokhan Tore, Sam Byram and Darren Randolph through injuries.
Aaron Cresswell is suspended.
West Ham (from): Adrian, Randolph, Spiegel, Arbeloa, Reid, Collins, Ogbonna, Oxford, Kouyate, Obiang, Fernandes, Nordtveit, Noble, Payet, Lanzini, Antonio, Feghouli, Ayew, Zaza, Fletcher, Calleri.
Player to watch: Michail Antonio
Talented midfielder with five goals to his name so far this term.
Sunderland Team News:
Sunderland have massive injury problems. Seven first-team players are out, including Sebastian Larsson, Vito Mannone and Adnan Januzaj.
However, Lamine Kone and Patrick van Aanholt stand a good chance of playing.
Sunderland (from): Pickford, Mika, Love, Manquillo, Van Aanholt, Kone, Djilobodji, O’Shea, McNair, Rodwell, Gooch, Khazri, Pienaar, Honeyman, Defoe, Asoro, Watmore, Anichebe.
Player to watch: Jordan Pickford
This keeper is coming along leaps and bounds, has kept the score down on many occasions so far.
Match Facts & Stats
West Ham United are unbeaten in six Premier League fixtures against Sunderland (W3 D3).
Sunderland have won just one of their last 11 away Premier League games against the Hammers, losing eight times (D2). This is their first game at the London Stadium.
Jermain Defoe made 74 Premier League appearances for West Ham United between 2001 and 2003. He’s scored six times in the Premier League against his former club since leaving.
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic scored one of his two Premier League goals against Sunderland for the Hammers in December 1996.
The Hammers have kept more home clean sheets against Sunderland than against any other Premier League opposition (9) and haven’t conceded in any of their last three.
David Moyes is unbeaten in his last 12 Premier League meetings against West Ham (W8 D4), not losing since April 2007 when manager of Everton (0-1 at Upton Park).
Sunderland are only the second team in top-flight history to fail to win any of their opening eight league games in consecutive seasons (after Bury in 1905-06).
These two sides have used the most players this season in the Premier League, with Sunderland fielding 26 different players to West Ham’s 24.
West Ham are looking to record back-to-back wins for the first time since the end of April.
No team has conceded more times in the opening 15 minutes of the first half than Sunderland this season (3), while West Ham have conceded the most in the opening 15 minutes of the second half (4).
(sporting life)
Ref Watch:
Referee: Robert Madley
Linesmen: M Perry and A Nunn
Fourth Official: K Stroud.
Match Prediction:
We could pull off a surprise result this weekend, but I’d settle for a draw.
Next Fixtures:
EFL CUP Wed 26 Oct 2016
Southampton v Sunderland
PREMIER LEAGUE Sat 29 Oct 2016 Sunderland v Arsenal
