Premier LeagueWest Ham United 3-1 Sunderland
Saturday, 24th January 2026
by Chris Wilkerson | Forum match thread
A roaring first half performance, the best 45 minutes of West Ham's season, was enough to blow their visitors Sunderland away this Saturday afternoon.
A three-goal lead at half-time had the game finished by the break, with a second half Sunderland goal not enough to do anything more than take away the home side's clean sheet and make it 3-1.Kicking off the Premier League weekend, The Hammers put the pressure back on Forest and Leeds above them with their second back-to-back wins of the season, putting themselves two points behind 17th.
That consolation goal was the only black mark in an otherwise fantastic performance, the best of the season, kicked off by a wonderful headed goal by Summerville, doubled by a Bowen penalty, and tied up by a scorching long-range effort by man of the match Fernandes.
Both teams came into the game off the back of wins last weekend, but whilst West Ham have floundered over the last month, Sunderland had lost only once in their last eight games. Their form, however, has been built on home dominance, and the Black Cats are as bad as West Ham on the road, with only 10 points on their travels this season.
They were also without their captain, the influential Granit Xhaka, who missed out through injury. The Swiss midfielder has arguably been the signing of the season in this Premier League campaign and was a huge miss in the heart of midfield. Where his experience was missing, it was the youth and exuberance of Mateus Fernandes that gave West Ham the platform for their victory.
In an unchanged side from the team that beat struggling Tottenham last weekend, the home side started with confidence, a confidence gained in that understated but quietly very important FA Cup victory over QPR two weeks ago.
Sunderland may have forced the first save of the game, a stinging effort from outside the box by Sidiki palmed over by Areola, but West Ham looked more composed in possession. There was little else to report in a reasonably open game before Summerville got things going just after the 10-minute mark.
Bowen had the better of his left back, Reinildo, and on this occasion just knocked it around the outside of his man and burst down the outside right of the penalty area. His cross was good, hung up into the middle, six yards out.
When it was attacked and the header absolutely powered home, you'd have been forgiven for checking the scorer twice. With all the giants in the box, it was the diminutive Summerville who rose highest and hammered the header home from close range.
Whilst some may have thought the QPR victory nothing more than expected, the importance has been underlined by just what it has done for the Dutch winger. Without a goal all season, he now has three in his last three since scoring in the tie.
Sunderland could have responded almost instantly, a long throw - their best route to goal all game - being flicked into the air and dropping to Hume on the corner of the six-yard box. He was all alone, but looped his header over the bar when he really should have scored.
In a frantic few minutes following the goal, Pablo could have done better when pouncing on a loose ball in the box. A clever move that ended with a Bowen shot saw the ball deflect off the blocking defender and into space for Pablo to the left of the goal. He got there first, but blazed over under pressure from both defender and goalkeeper.
Ballard went just wide not long after, meeting a cross after a deep freekick was rolled short and delivered into the box. The big centre back met it well, but his header looped just wide of the far post as he went back across goal.
Sunderland have picked up 16 points from losing positions this season, whilst The Hammers have dropped 15 from winning positions, so nobody was expecting this game to stay as it was. West Ham have managed to lose three times when leading 1-0 at home since the season started, so any optimism was layered with caution.
But there has been a different energy about the club since Pablo and Castellanos joined. The pair have not set things alight individually since signing, but they work very hard and have endeared themselves to the support with their effort and application. It cannot be questioned that West Ham have looked a better team since they came into the side. The Argentine, in particular, catches the eye and lifts the crowd with his non-stop running and his willingness to defend from the front.
The Hammers still looked the better side in possession, but have had a habit this season of failing to capitalise on these periods. Not today. Just short of 30 minutes gone, they were handed a huge chance to double their lead.
Scarles drove forward to make a run that overlapped Summerville in possession. The winger passed it to him and the young left back darted into the box between two defenders. Hume couldn't resist, dangling a leg and missing the ball, taking Scarles down as he knocked it beyond his man.
The referee did not delay, pointing to the spot immediately, not concerned by Scarles knocking the ball a little out of his reach when making it into the area. VAR found no reason to overturn it, and West Ham had a penalty.
With Paquet?? out for whatever reason, the captain stepped up. Bowen hasn't taken a penalty this season, but had scored four of his last five.
He may have been a little lucky, his standing foot slipping a little as he struck the penalty, but his accuracy saved him, driving the ball along the ground and right into the bottom corner, beating Roefs to his left as the goalkeeper dived the right way, but just short of the ball.
It was Bowen's first goal in five games, seventh of the season, but after his assist earlier in the game had taken him above Antonio for goal involvements (a recent measurement) in the Premier League for the club, and now the record holder, the captain extended his lead. He should be going ahead of Antonio as the club's leading Premier League goalscorer before the end of the season.
Summerville was causing consternation on the wing, and looks a player reborn. He forced a good booking out of Ballard when beating him, and when Bowen got the left back Reinildo booked, you could see how the pace and direct running on the wings was scaring the visiting defence.
Just as half-time approached, and West Ham were probably happy to be taking a 2-0 lead into the break, the support was treated to an absolute screamer from the imperious Mateus Fernandes.
The Portuguese started the move with a lovely, sizzling pass down the left wing that got Summerville in behind the defence. The winger popped it off to Castellanos in the box, and after the Argentine's shot was blocked, it rolled out to Fernandes, 25 yards from goal.
With cries of ?EUR~shoot!' echoing around him, the midfielder controlled the ball and then obliged his public.
It was a hell of a hit, hit with enough power and a slight curl away from the goalkeeper that ensured Roefs couldn't stop it, even as it fired at the corner of goal he was close to. It was just so well struck and so accurately so, and a goal of the quality that Fernandes's performance had deserved.
Sunderland have only scored five away from home this season, failing to score in 7 of their 11 away games, and even the most pessimistic of Irons fans were starting to feel confident as the side went in at 3-0 into the break.
Unsurprisingly, there was a triple change from the visitors,, most notably the embattled Reinildo, who was booked and on the edge of getting another.
The only positive from their first half was the strength of Brian Brobbey, who was immovable once he got possession and backed into his man. West Ham were linked with the striker for years and you could see why; he's the most Antonio-like striker you could find. Strong, mobile, but a little bit erratic.
And it was him who got Sunderland a goal, one he might feel he deserved, even if his team had done nothing to earn it otherwise.
Twenty minutes into a second half of little incident, that looked to be playing out for a comfortable win and a rare clean sheet for West Ham, suddenly Sunderland came to life down the wing.
Mukiele burst down the right wing to overlap and West Ham were stretched. Nobody went with him, and the centre backs split apart to try cover. Todibo couldn't get out to stop the cross, and Brobbey lost Mavropanos in the box.
The ball in was perfect, curling to the middle of the area, eight yards out, and Brobbey did very well to make strong contact with the diving header and power it past Areola to give his side the smallest path back into the game with 25 minutes left.
Nuno reacted, Diouf with his first appearance since victory in the African Cup of Nations, coming on alongside Callum Wilson as Scarles and Pablo departed. Five minutes later, the midfield was shored up as the recently booked Castellanos departed for Freddie Potts.
The Hammers went deep, which gave Sunderland a chance to go direct and attack. Yet the only time they actually threaten was an awry cross by O'Nien, miscuing his curling ball into the box to instead hit it flat and at goal. Areola was nearly caught out, just spilling it onto the bar in a panicked reaction.
But the most entertaining part of the finish came off the pitch. After Mukiele threw an absolute strop on being replaced, he got some stick from the home fans. One seemed to do enough to get to Xhaka, who turned around and got into a vociferous argument with him, so much so that the game had to be held for security to go intervene.
West Ham did nearly get a fourth, and may consider themselves unfairly robbed of it. A corner was headed clear, and Fernandes didn't need telling to shoot this time. It was a rifle of a hit, beating Roefs, only to smack the underside of the bar and bounce away off the line. Wilson headed it back at goal, only for Soucek to bundle it home on the line.
It seemed to be given originally, but was ruled out after it was decided Soucek had impeded the goalkeeper. It was as soft as they come, the midfielder doing little more than backing into his opponent.
Replays also showed a rather fascinating exchange between Mavropanos and Alderete, who were head-to-head and squared up off the ball as the Fernandes shot flew past them, both men more interested in the fight than the football, although nothing more came of it.
The final whistle came, and West Ham had put some pressure back on Forest above them, getting within two points of their relegation rivals. It was the best performance of the season by a long, long way, and maybe a better showing already in 2026 than any in 2025.
The fight is on.
Manager's Rating
Nuno Espirito Santo: 8/10 Good use of his bench to keep things fresh, but his reward came from keeping the same team and leaning into this new system that seems to be working. An easier one for him, having got the team into some form, he just has to keep it going.
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Click to view all West Ham United vs Sunderland match reports Click to view all match reports by Chris Wilkerson Like to share your thoughts on this article? Please visit the KUMB Forum to leave a comment.Player Ratings
Alphonse AreolaDid just enough with that wayward cross, and made another decent save, but was otherwise hardly bothered.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Hardly challenged on that wing, played comfortably within himself but didn't need to up his gear at all.
Oliver Scarles
Great run and dribble to win the penalty. Defended reasonably well, although lost a bit of control that was then exposed for the Sunderland goal.
Jean-Clair Todibo
Passed well and did his defensive work well enough, but another who was barely tested and will feel he hardly broke a sweat.
Konstantinos Mavropanos
After initially being bullied by Brobbey, it seemed to wake up the fight in him. He was happy to scrap with him, and then found himself getting into it with a few others. Did more defending than others, but was a little exposed for the goal.
Tomas Soucek
Another good performance in this more defined and limited role. He and Fernandes have developed a nice partnership, and Soucek now sits more disciplined in a defensive role.
Mateus Fernandes
Some have doubted the lad's potential in recent weeks, but let this performance be a reminder than this is a ??100m+ player in the making. His passing today was fantastic, as was his defensive awareness and graft. He scraps for everything, spots a pass and has wonderful technique, can carry at pace, and covers a lot of ground. And he can shoot. Deserved the second to go in, he barely put a foot wrong. The first half, in particular, was as good as anything seen at that stadium. This survival campaign is on his back.
Pablo Felipe
Another of those games where he's useful as a nuisance, a presence, and you appreciate his hard work and endeavour. But a lack of quality remains, although he may relax with a goal. Technique is just a touch sketchy.
Crysencio Summerville
Looking like the man we thought he could be, the confidence of finally scoring against QPR has seemed to unshackle him from his own self doubt. Now he's darting around, beating players for fun, and looks dangerous in the opposition area. Where that kind of header came from, nobody knows!
Jarrod Bowen
Quietly very good. Had his man beat all first half, and ends up with a goal and assist without really looking his best. A phenomenal player.
Valentin Castellanos
Castellanos has more class and skill than Pablo, and looks more dangerous with it, while the continues to win fans with his running and hard work.
Substitutes
Callum Wilson(Pablo 71') Nearly got an assist when heading at goal late on.
El-Hadji Malick Diouf
(Scarles 71') A good header in the box and some good challenges, nice to see him back.
Freddie Potts
(Castellanos 75') mBrought on to manage an onslaught that never came.
Max Kilman
(Summerville 90+') On for the final few moments to waste time.
Mads Hermansen
Did not play.
Kyle Walker-Peters
Did not play.
James Ward-Prowse
Did not play.
Soungoutou Magassa
Did not play.
Mohamadou Kante
Did not play.
Match Facts
West Ham United: Alphonse Areola, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Oliver Scarles, Jean-Clair Todibo, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Tomas Soucek, Mateus Fernandes, Pablo Felipe, Crysencio Summerville, Jarrod Bowen, Valentin Castellanos.Goals: Crysencio Summerville 14 Jarrod Bowen 28 Mateus Fernandes 43 .
Booked: Valentin Castellanos 0 .
Sent Off: None sent off. .
Sunderland: Roefs, Mukiele (O’Nien 83), Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo (Cirkin 46), Hume (c) (Diarra 46), Sadiki, Le Fée, Mayenda (Isidor 75), Mundle (Taibi 46), Brobbey.
Subs not used: Patterson, Geertruida, Rigg, Adringa.
Goals: Brobbey (66).
Booked: Ballard, Reinildo, Sadiki, Isidor, Diarra.
Sent off: None.
Referee: Thomas Bramall.
Attendance: 62,456.
Man of the Match: Mateus Fernandes.