English Premier
2026-01-24 - West Ham United vs Sunderland
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 24th January 2025 - Kick Off 12:30pm
This game is live on TV
West Ham United
An injury time winner piled the pressure on Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank, but it was an important goal for Nuno Espirito Santo and his West Ham United team. Just like that, the team have been given a spark in their bid to avoid a costly relegation and they are back at home this weekend with a chance to build on the momentum that would have been earned by beating a rival in their own Stadium.
They may still be 18th in the Premier League table, but West Ham United have closed to 5 points behind Nottingham Forest and playing first this weekend gives the team a real chance to put some pressure on relegation rivals around them. The Hammers have a 2-1-8 record at the London Stadium where they have scored 13 goals, but conceded 25.
West Ham United beat Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup Third Round, but the side had lost 5 of 6 Premier League games before the late winner at Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. Playing at the London Stadium has been hugely challenging for West Ham United and they have been beaten in 4 of the last 5 Premier League games here.
El Hadji Diouf is back from the African Cup of Nations, but Lucas Paqueta is a doubt.
Sunderland
As the African Cup of Nations wound down, Sunderland have had more and more of the key squad players returning to action. Regis Le Bris has to be really pleased with the way those that were left behind have kept the ship steady and a full squad can make a real go at trying to earn Sunderland a place in European competition next season.
Coming from behind to beat Crystal Palace last weekend means Sunderland are up into 9th place in the Premier League table and they remain just 3 points behind Liverpool in the top four. The Black Cats make a long journey down to East London with a 2-4-5 away record in the top flight this season.
Sunderland have lost 1 of the last 8 games in all competitions and have progressed in the FA Cup during that run. They needed Penalties to beat Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium in the Third Round and that has extended Sunderland's winless away run to 7 games in all competitions, while losing 3 times in that run.
Arthur Masuaku and Bertrand Traore are missing, but a strong squad will be travelling for this latest Premier League fixture.
Head to Head
Sunderland set the standard for the 2025/26 season by crushing West Ham United 3-0 at the Stadium of Light on the opening weekend.
West Ham United are hosting Sunderland for the first time since 2016, but have won 3 in a row at home against The Black Cats and all by the same 1-0 scoreline.
Prediction
The television cameras will be broadcasting the opening Premier League fixture of the weekend on Saturday lunchtime and it looks like a game that will be decided on fine margins.
There has been a recent trend in the Premier League where set pieces have become the best way to goal and it is an area that Sunderland may feel they edge out West Ham United.
Both teams earned important 2-1 wins last weekend so confidence will be in a better place, but Sunderland have shown more consistency over the course of the season.
Having key players returning from the African Cup of Nations to bolster the options will help and Sunderland have shown some resiliency away from home.
However, turning draws into wins has been challenging and that will need to change if Sunderland are going to earn a return to European Football next season.
Nuno Espirito Santo's West Ham United have produced some positive signs in recent games and investment has been made in this January transfer window to improve the options available to the manager.
Even then, West Ham United have continued to look shaky defensively and the feeling is that they may give Sunderland enough opportunities to avoid a defeat.
West Ham United do have a very good record when hosting Sunderland, but the last time they did that was a decade ago- in January 2026, Sunderland are looking capable of doing enough defensively to give themselves a chance to earn a positive result in East London.
The Statistics :
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Pick :
West Ham United 0-1 Sunderland
