West Ham United produced a display of craft, desire and tactical intelligence to secure a 3-1 victory over Sunderland at the London Stadium, breathing fresh life into their Premier League survival bid. The win, their third consecutive in all competitions, lifted them off the bottom three, though they remain two points behind Nottingham Forest in the race for safety.
The home side were ruthless in the first half, with Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville tearing Sunderland apart on the flanks. Summerville opened the scoring in the 14th minute, heading in Bowen's cross, before Bowen converted a penalty after Ollie Scarles was fouled. Mateus Fernandes then capped a brilliant individual display with a curling effort from 25 yards to make it 3-0 before the interval.
Manager Nuno Espírito Santo praised his side's start and calmness after Sunderland pulled one back through Brian Brobbey in the 66th minute. “The way we started was really accurate,” he said. “It helps the confidence. Second half was an improvement in terms of managing the game. Sunderland scored but the boys stayed calm.” He added: “When you work with the smile everything is easier. But we know football is day by day. We cannot stop believing.”
Sunderland, winless on the road since October, struggled without captain Granit Xhaka, who is expected to be sidelined for a fortnight with an ankle injury. Head coach Régis Le Bris admitted his side did not compete well enough. West Ham, meanwhile, are closing in on a deal for Fulham winger Adama Traoré, with further squad changes expected before the transfer window closes.
