With fifty thousand home fans arriving and trying to ignore that season-starting reality check that saw West Ham crash to a three-nil loss to newly promoted Sunderland back in August, the Hammers take on the Black Cats in the lunchtime kick off at London stadium today seeking another three points in the latest ‘must win’ round of the relegation derby.
Whilst Sunderland have just one win in six they remain the favourites, sitting on 33 points and have achieved miracles in their first season back in the top flight,. The Hammers meanwhile have to cope with their terrible early season form.
Today Nuno seeks to build on the Tottenham victory of last weekend. Surely the only way is to repeat the line-you of last weekend and whether to be 4-4-2 or 4-2-4 – play both new attackers Castellanos and Felipe from the outset. Newly crowned AFCON champion Diouf is likely;ey to begin on the bench alongside last weeks injury time hero Callum Wilson. Our best guess as to Nuno’s line up looks like this:
West Ham predicted starting XI
Areola | Wan Bissaka, Mavropanos, Todibo, Scarles | Fernandez, Soucek | Summerville, Castellanos, Felipe, Bowen (c)
Score predictions
Martin 2-1 West Ham (you just know Brian Brobbey will score against us…)
Sean 1-0 West Ham win
Gonzo 2-1 West Ham win
Matt 1-0 West Ham win
We’ll have the team news at 1115 so check back to see West Ham’s starting eleven in a little over an hour.
A few weeks back I’d have said definite Sunderland win. But their form is a bit iffy of late and we are looking a bit better.
I’m wavering between 1-1 and 2-1 to us, I don’t think Sunderland will pull it off.
2-1 but not surprised if 1-1
The prospect of watching it is a bit better than for a while.