Sunderland vs West Ham Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Newly-promoted Sunderland welcome Premier League stalwarts West Ham United to the Stadium of Light on the opening day of the campaign upon Wearside this weekend.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – Peacock
Sunderland preview: Back in the Prem
For the first time in approaching a decade, Sunderland have gained promotion to the Premier League this season, with the Black Cats gaining promotion via winning the Championship playoffs last season thanks to a couple of dramatic moments.
Now, coached by former Lorient boss Regis Le Bris, the extremely young squad of Sunderland is staying young, but getting some experience in with Granit Xhaka, and a lot of quality in, too, with well over £100 million spent by the Wearsiders.
West Ham preview: Big season for Potter
Graham Potter endured a very difficult start to life as West Ham United following his mid-January appointment at the London Stadium, and the Irons may well be among those teams that are struggling against the bottom three and the danger zone this year.
The Hammers have been able to bring in a few seemingly decent signings, such as El Hadji Malick Diouf, Kyle Walker-Peters and Callum Wilson, but they have lost a lot of experience at the end of their contracts, like Lukasz Fabianski and Vladimir Coufal.
Sunderland team news: Several debutants
There has been no information on the fitness of Marc Guiu since it was confirmed he had a slight knock.
Peripheral players such as Aji Alese, Dennis Carlin and Romain Mundle are confirmed absentees for this weekend.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Hume, Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo; Sadiki, Xhaka; Talbi, Diarra, Adingra; Mayenda
Unavailable: Alese (Injured), Hjelde (Injured), Cirkin (Injured), Mundle (Injured)
Questionable: O’Nien (Injured)
West Ham team news: No fresh injuries
West Ham United have no fresh injury concerns for this weekend as only Crysencio Summerville is sidelined for the Irons this weekend.
Potter is expected to stick with his back three system, with added importance on the flexibility of attacker and captain Jarrod Bowen.
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Hermansen; Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman; Walker-Peters, Ward-Prowse, Alvarez, Paqueta, Diouf; Bowen, Fullkrug
Unavailable: Summerville (Injured)
Questionable:
Sunderland vs West Ham prediction
There has been a lot of change and upheaval in the Sunderland squad this summer. Regis Le Bris is likely to try and play a more controlled and containing style of football as they seek to survive this season. West Ham and Graham Potter sides in particular have a habit and a tendency to over play and over complicate playing methods, thus stifling themselves. A low-scoring encounter seems likely for this opening clash.
Sunderland vs West Ham tip: Under 2.5 goals
