Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the English Premier League match.
Sunderland return to the Premier League after a long absence, having invested heavily in the squad, while West Ham United head into the campaign off the back of a strong pre-season and will be looking to take points on the road.
Sunderland
Sunderland finished fourth in last season’s Championship and secured promotion through the play-offs. Over the summer, the team played eight friendlies but managed only two wins — against Augsburg (1:0) and South Shields (4:0). They struggled against stronger opposition, suffering goalless defeats to Rayo Vallecano (0:3), Heart of Midlothian (0:3) and Real Betis (0:1). The signings of Granit Xhaka and Habib Diarra add experience and creativity, but Sunderland will need to build cohesion quickly.
West Ham United
West Ham ended last season in 14th place, avoiding the relegation battle with a comfortable cushion. The team played five friendlies over the summer, losing only to Manchester United (1:2), and recording wins over Bournemouth (2:0), Everton (2:1) and Grasshoppers (3:1). Vladimír Coufal and Mohammed Kudus have departed, but the arrivals of Malick Diouf, Callum Wilson and Kyle Walker-Peters strengthen the squad. A further boost came with the court case against Lucas Paquetá being dropped, allowing the Brazilian to contribute straight away.
Sunderland vs West Ham United Prediction
At the start of the season, familiarity within the squad and Premier League experience can be decisive. Sunderland are still searching for their best line-up, while West Ham already have established connections and a higher calibre of players.
