West Ham United vs Sunderland. Premier League.
Upton ParkAttendance34,914.
Saturday 21 March 2015 14:53, UK
Upton Park plays host as West Ham take on Sunderland in Dick Advocaat's first game in charge of the Back Cats, live on Saturday Night Football.
The Dutchman has nine games to try and turn things around at the Stadium of Light and if the side remain where they are in 17th at the end of the season, it is likely to be viewed as a job well done.
Sunderland have failed to win in their last eight games, with a 3-1 FA Cup win at Fulham at the start of February the last time they tasted victory.
If there is anything that may provide encouragement for the visitors though it is that West Ham are on a similarly poor run.
Sam Allardyce’s side have lost their last three and have to go back to late January for their last win, 1-0 over Bristol City in the FA Cup. A 3-0 triumph over Hull a week prior to that is the Hammers’ most recent league win.
Team news
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed James Tomkins will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery while Winston Reid (hamstring) is a major doubt.
Carl Jenkinson is back in contention having been ineligible against parent club Arsenal last weekend but, while Carlton Cole is fit again following a hamstring problem, fellow strikers Andy Carroll (knee) and Enner Valencia (toe) remain sidelined.
New Sunderland head coach Advocaat has revealed winger Adam Johnson is available "in principle".
The 27-year-old midfielder returned to training earlier this week after a club suspension was lifted which had been imposed following his arrest on suspicion of sexual activity with a girl under 16, although Advocaat was not planning to make a decision on his inclusion or otherwise until after his final session.
Defender John O'Shea (knock) and Sebastian Larsson (ankle) are doubts, while fellow midfielder Lee Cattermole completes a two-match ban and Will Buckley (knee) and Emanuele Giaccherini (ankle) remain on the sidelines.
Opta facts
Sunderland have lost just one of their last seven Barclays Premier League games against West Ham (W3 D3 L1).
Jermain Defoe has scored four goals in his last five Premier League appearances against former club West Ham United.
The Hammers have won just one of their last 12 Premier League matches (W1 D5 L6), as have Sunderland (W1 D4 L7), but they've won none of the last six away (W0 D3 L3).
Morgan Amalfitano has scored three goals from just four shots on target for West Ham.
Only Sunderland (7) and QPR (5) have picked up fewer points than West Ham (8) since Christmas.
West Ham have the highest tally of headers on target (39) and headed goals this season (15).
Merson's prediction
I do not know where Dick Advocaat’s appointment has come from really – if you had given me 100 guesses, I still would not have got it and I can see this being a Fulham situation all over again like with Felix Magath. I know people have said that Advocaat has managed in Scotland before, but that is not the Premier League at all and I am really shocked by the news. I would have liked to see Kevin Ball get the job until the end of the season had they not gone first to get Sam Allardyce from West Ham, who is the manager they should have tried for.
I do not know why they did not offer Big Sam a three or four-year deal and seen what he said, as Allardyce would have definitely kept them up. And even if he did not, he would have brought them straight back up the next season, so it would have been worth the investment either way. But I cannot see anything other than an easy 3-0 win for West Ham on Saturday.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-0
Betting
Dick Advocaat is 16/5 with Sky Bet to begin his reign as Sunderland manager with a win, as a losing start is deemed more likely with West Ham marginally odds-on for the victory at 17/20. The Black Cats head into the weekend rated 13/8 fourth favourites for relegation, while Advocaat is 7/4 to still be in charge come the start of next season. Diafra Sakho is favourite in the first goalscorer betting at 4/1, while Jermain Defoe is considered the visitors’ biggest threat at 6/1.
