Sunderland are again within the huge time after virtually a decade away and their supporters can not look ahead to the season to get underway.
Pleasure is in shorter provide amongst followers of West Ham United, the place apathy set in final time period. Will Sunderland get off to a successful begin, or can West Ham take up the position of social gathering poopers?
Sunderland vs West Ham United greatest bets
Sunderland vs West Ham odds
Discover the newest Sunderland vs West Ham United betting odds right here. All odds are offered by our really useful soccer bookmakers and are topic to alter.
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Sunderland vs West Ham predictions
For the primary time since Could 2017, Sunderland will fulfil a Premier League fixture this weekend. West Ham United are the guests to the Stadium of Mild for what will probably be an incredible event for the Sunderland trustworthy.
After 4 profitable relegation battles on the bounce, Sunderland lastly succumbed to demotion from the highest flight in 2016/17.
Aiming for a direct return the next yr, the Black Cats as a substitute plumbed new depths by taking place once more, coming into the third tier of English soccer for the primary time because the mid-Eighties.
It took Sunderland 4 years to even return to the Championship, the place they fell brief within the play-offs in 2022/23 earlier than slumping to a Sixteenth-place end the yr after.
A top-half end was the intention final outing, however Sunderland exceeded expectations to qualify for the play-offs. Victories over Coventry Metropolis within the semis and Sheffield United within the closing had been secured with dramatic late winners.
And so Sunderland are again within the Premier League, the place survival is the primary and solely goal. Regis Le Bris has been backed within the switch market after masterminding promotion, with Sunderland having spent greater than £136m on new gamers thus far.
Nevertheless, Le Bris is not going to be underneath any illusions as to how robust the duty he faces is. The final six promoted golf equipment have all gone straight again right down to the Championship, and Sunderland amassed fewer factors final season than any of Burnley, Luton City, Sheffield United, Ipswich City, Leicester Metropolis or Southampton of their promotion-winning campaigns.
On the plus facet, a house recreation in opposition to West Ham on the opening weekend just isn’t precisely the hardest attainable begin to the brand new season.
The Hammers endured an underwhelming marketing campaign final time period, ending 14th within the league and exiting each cup competitions early. The jury stays out on Graham Potter on the London Stadium, though lots of West Ham’s points run deeper than the top coach.
The Londoners had been European regulars underneath David Moyes, successful the Convention League and having fun with deep runs within the Europa League on two events. The latest of these was solely in 2023/24, however that appears like a very long time in the past now.
In the beginning, Potter should attempt to restore the connection between the workforce and the followers this season.
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Sunderland vs West Ham betting ideas
Sunderland host West Ham United on the opening weekend of the 2025/26 Premier League season.
Sunderland to return unstuck
There’s significantly extra pleasure to be discovered among the many Sunderland fan base than that of West Ham forward of the large kick-off this weekend.
But this feels prefer it might be a recreation the place a promoted membership’s early-season optimism is punctured by a extra skilled opponent able to dish out a lesson within the harsh realities of the Premier League.
Sunderland have misplaced Tom Watson and Jobe Bellingham, each of whom impressed final time period, and it’ll take some time for Le Bris to combine 9 new gamers, together with former West Ham left-back Arthur Masuaku.
The Hammers hardly set the world alight in 2024/25, however they nonetheless have extra confirmed top-flight high quality at their disposal than Sunderland.
That might be a decisive issue on Saturday, after we reckon West Ham will get their season underway with a win within the northeast.
⚽ Again West Ham to win at 13/10 with Betfair ⚽
Tight recreation on the playing cards
West Ham had been too simple to play in opposition to for a lot of final season, as evidenced by their concession of 62 objectives in 38 league matches.
Potter should make his workforce extra resilient in his first full marketing campaign on the helm if he’s to reach east London.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka is West Ham’s reigning Participant of the Yr and Max Kilman is a high-quality centre-back, so Potter has some helpful defensive instruments at his disposal.
As talked about above, it might take Sunderland just a few weeks to search out their rhythm in ahead areas after so many modifications to the squad.
This one seems to be set to be a low-scoring encounter.
⚽ Tip underneath 2.5 objectives at 19/20 with BetMGM ⚽
Bowen to be the difference-maker
Few Premier League groups are as reliant on a single participant as West Ham are on Jarrod Bowen.
The England worldwide has been a uncommon vivid spot for the membership over the previous couple of years, and he was as soon as once more their prime scorer with 14 objectives final season.
In a position to play by the center or out broad, Bowen’s versatility is only one of his quite a few belongings.
A scientific finisher when he will get alternatives in and across the penalty space, the previous Hull Metropolis man will trigger Sunderland issues.
⚽ Go for Jarrod Bowen to attain any time at 9/5 with Ladbrokes ⚽
Sunderland vs West Ham United predicted lineups
- Sunderland anticipated lineup: Roefs; Hume, Ballard, Seelt, Reinildo; Xhaka, Le Charge, Diarra; Adingra, Guiu, Mayenda.
- West Ham United anticipated lineup: Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Kilman, Todibo, Diouf; Alvarez, Ward-Prowse; Bowen, Paqueta, Guilherme; Fullkrug.
📺 Methods to watch Sunderland vs West Ham United
- Location: Stadium of Mild, Sunderland, England.
- Date and time: Saturday August Sixteenth, 3pm.
- Methods to watch: Not being proven reside within the UK.
Extra Premier League predictions
Now we have a lot extra predictions for the opening weekend of the Premier League right here – try our newest betting ideas in our match preview overview.
Concerning the writer
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a contract soccer author from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work printed by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Observe Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
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