West Ham United and Sunderland will be eager to build on their wins in the Premier League last weekend when they clash at the London Stadium on Saturday.
The 2025/26 Premier League season resumes this weekend with Gameweek 23. The latest round of fixtures starts on Saturday with West Ham United vs Sunderland at the London Stadium, with both teams keen on securing three points.
West Ham United will hope to have started turning things around in the 2025/26 season after securing two successive wins in as many weeks. The Hammers ended their ten-match winless run by beating QPR in the FA Cup third round.
However, they showed more promising signs in the hard-fought 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, with Callum Wilson scoring a late winner. The result helped Nuno Espirito Santo’s men to close the gap to Nottingham Forest to only five points. However, the task has only just begun for West Ham, and they cannot relent in the coming weeks.
On the other hand, Sunderland’s memorable return to the Premier League has continued to blossom, and they returned to winning ways in Gameweek 22 by beating Crystal Palace 2-1 at the Stadium of Light. That result ended a five-game winless run in the Premier League for Regis Le Bris and his charges. With fourth-placed Liverpool only three points ahead, the Wearside outfit will look forward instead of back.
The reverse fixture ended in a 3-0 win for Sunderland, with Eliezer Maydenda, Dan Ballard, and Wilson Isidor finding the back of the net. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
West Ham United
Nuno Espirito Santo has received a positive update on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The West Ham United manager will be bereft of the services of only two first-team players vs Sunderland on Saturday.
Lucas Paqueta is the most notable absentee due to a lower back injury, as he continues to push for a move away from West Ham amid his desire to return to Flamengo. Lukasz Fabianski (lower back) also remains in the treatment room. However, El Hadji Malick Diouf is available after returning from Senegal’s triumphant Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Alphonse Areola is an automatic pick between the sticks, with West Ham United lining up in a 4-4-1-1 formation in front of him vs Sunderland on Saturday. The backline will feature Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo, Konstantinos Mavropanos, and Oliver Scarles.
As for the midfield unit, Mateus Fernandes and Tomas Soucek will pair up in the middle of the park, with Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville being the two wide attackers. Finally, Valentin Castellanos will lead the line for West Ham against Sunderland, with Pablo playing behind him.
Probable Lineup (4-4-1-1): Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Mavropanos, Scarles; Bowen, Fernandes, Soucek, Summerville; Pablo; Castellanos
Sunderland
Like his counterpart in the West Ham United dugout, Regis Le Bris has received positive updates on the team news front ahead of the trip to the London Stadium. The Sunderland manager will be without only two first-team players on Saturday.
Habib Diarra and Chemdine Talbi are available after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations. However, Arthur Masuaku (ankle) and Bertrand Traore (knee) remain in the treatment room due to the injuries they sustained at AFCON.
Robin Roefs is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Sunderland lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs West Ham United on Saturday. The backline will feature Nordi Mukiele, Dan Ballard, Omar Alderete, and Reinildo Mandava.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki in the double pivot, with Enzo Le Fee reprising the no. 10 role. Finally, Brian Brobbey will spearhead the Sunderland attack against West Ham, with Simon Adingra and Chemsdine Talbi being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Talbi, Le Fee, Adingra; Brobbey
Key Stats
- West Ham United have lost just one of their last 12 Premier League home games vs Sunderland (W9 D2), going down 3-0 in May 2011. They have won their three most recent clashes by the same scoreline (1-0). On the other hand, the Black Cats are looking to complete the Premier League double over West Ham for just the second time, previously doing so in 2010/11 when the Hammers were relegated.
- West Ham United have lost only one of their last 21 Premier League home matches against promoted sides (W16 D4), and they are unbeaten in 12 since a 2-1 loss to Brentford in October 2021. The Hammers ended their ten-game winless run by beating Spurs 2-1 last weekend. However, they have not kept a clean sheet in their 19 most recent Premier League outings, only once having a longer run (24, between March and November 2008).
- Sunderland are looking to win consecutive Premier League games for only the second time this season, previously beating Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea in October. However, they are winless in six outings on the road (D3 L3) since that 2-1 win over the Blues.
- Sunderland have won 16 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season, with only Aston Villa gaining more (18). It is the most by the Black Cats in a campaign in the competition and the most by a promoted side since West Bromwich Albion in 2010/11 (27).
- West Ham United have conceded a league-high 12 headed goals in the Premier League this season. Only in 2010/11 did they ship more (15), which was the last campaign they were relegated.
Player to Watch
Crysencio Summerville
While Granit Xhaka, Brian Brobbey, and Jarrod Bowen were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Crysencio Summerville as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s Premier League clash between West Ham United and Sunderland at the London Stadium.
After a run of 28 games without a goal since October 2024, Crysencio Summerville has scored in his two most recent appearances for West Ham United in all competitions. The Dutchman last netted in three successive matches in February 2024, while in the Championship with Leeds United. Amid uncertainties surrounding his future, the 24-year-old will be eager to continue his solid run this weekend.
Prediction
West Ham United 1-1 Sunderland
Sunderland may have blown West Ham United away in the reverse fixture, but they are yet to find a way to secure many victories on the road this season. The Black Cats are without a win in six away games in the Premier League, and their attack needs to step up to end that run.
On the other hand, confidence is building in the West Ham United camp, and they will take the game to Sunderland this weekend. However, the home side’s defensive woes will bring the visitors into the equation, and a closely-contested affair is on the cards. The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 draw for Saturday’s Premier League clash at the London Stadium.
