Three first-half goals for Hammers earn 3-1 victory over Sunderland to close gap on Nottingham Forest
West Ham United moved two points off Nottingham Forest in the battle to stay in the Premier League after a blistering first-half display swept aside Sunderland 3-1 at London Stadium.
Crysencio Summerville’s towering header put Nuno Espirito Santo’s side in front before Jarrod Bowen’s 28th-minute penalty doubled the Hammers’ lead.
Mateus Fernandes’ stunning long-range goal capped a sensational first half for West Ham, but Sunderland improved after the break.
Brian Brobbey headed in Nordi Mukiele’s cross to give the Black Cats hope of a revival in the 66th minute, but the visitors could not set up a grandstand finale.
West Ham are up to 20 points and just behind 17th-placed Forest, who face Brentford on Sunday, while ninth-place Sunderland missed the chance to move into the top five.
How the match unfolded
A strong West Ham start was rewarded in the 14th minute when Bowen stood up an inviting cross, with Summerville on hand to power home his third league goal in as many games.
The hosts doubled their lead from the penalty spot after Ollie Scarles was tripped by Trai Hume, with captain Bowen squeezing his spot-kick past Robin Roefs and into the bottom-right corner.
It got even better for West Ham in the 42nd minute. Dan Ballard blocked Valentin Castellanos’ shot, but the ball fell to Fernandes, whose venomous attempt from 30 yards out nestled into the top-left corner.
A low-key second half burst into life when Brobbey planted home from Mukiele’s centre, before Luko O’Nien’s attempted cross was tipped onto the woodwork late on by Alphonse Areola.
Fernandes came close to another sensational goal as his effort from distance cannoned against the crossbar. Tomas Soucek bundled in on the rebound, but was adjudged to have fouled Roefs, though it mattered little as West Ham claimed a potentially crucial victory.
Hammers hitting back
After ending their 10-game winless run in the Premier League by beating Tottenham Hotspur last time out, West Ham came into this match with confidence as they searched for their first top-flight win on home turf since downing Burnley in November.
The Hammers delivered an exceptional first-half showing, scoring three goals in the first 45 minutes of a Premier League match for the first time since April 2023, when they beat AFC Bournemouth 4-0.
Nuno’s team could have had more goals, though, with new signing Pablo firing wildly over the crossbar just after Summerville’s opener, but having built an impressive advantage, West Ham were willing to sit back and soak up the Sunderland pressure.
That almost came back to bite the home side when Brobbey’s strike for Sunderland reduced their lead. Wilson Isidor fired a huge chance over the bar and Areola was later rescued by the woodwork.
Fernandes almost capped another fine individual display in second-half stoppage time, and though Soucek’s goal was ruled out, the Hammers look rejuvenated.
West Ham will be looking to make it three wins on the spin next week, when they make the trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea. First, Nuno will be hoping for a favour from Brentford when they host Forest on Sunday.
Sunderland struggle in Xhaka’s absence
Sunderland have not won in their last seven Premier League away fixtures, and their chances of victory at London Stadium were hindered before kick-off, with captain Granit Xhaka missing out after failing to recover from an ankle injury sustained against Crystal Palace last weekend.
Xhaka watched on from the touchline as the Black Cats started positively with Noah Sadiki’s half-volley forcing Areola into an early stop, and though they fell behind, Sunderland had their chances to restore parity.
Hume headed onto the roof of the net from a long throw before Ballard steered an attempt just wide, but once Bowen tucked home from 12 yards, Regis Le Bris’ team had the wind taken out of their sails.
And Xhaka’s absence from the middle of the park was clearly felt. He had started all 22 of Sunderland’s top-flight games ahead of Saturday’s clash.
Le Bris made three changes at the break, and though they did not have an immediate impact, Brobbey’s fine header gave Sunderland hope, but it proved too much of a mountain to climb.
This result further signifies the importance of Xhaka to this Sunderland team, and Le Bris will hope his captain will be available for their next fixture, at home to Burnley on Monday 2 February.
Club reports
West Ham report | Sunderland report
Key facts
West Ham have won 11 of their last 13 Premier League home matches against promoted sides (D2); those 13 games form their longest-ever unbeaten run in home games against promoted teams in the competition.
Sunderland are winless in seven consecutive Premier League away games (D3 L4) for the first time since October 2016 (D3 L4), while they’ve lost consecutive away games in the competition while conceding 3+ goals for the first time since December 2016.
Bowen became the West Ham player with the outright most goal involvements in Premier League history (103 – 63 goals, 40 assists), moving clear of Michail Antonio (101 – 68 goals, 33 assists).
Brobbey has scored in consecutive league appearances for the first time since February 2025, when he was playing for Ajax in the Eredivisie; he is Sunderland’s top scorer in the Premier League this season with five goals.
EPL.Photo/Getty Images.
