Sunderland vs West Ham United predictions and betting tips – Hammers favourites to triumph

Sunderland are back in the big time after almost a decade away and their supporters cannot wait for the season to get underway. 

Excitement is in shorter supply among fans of West Ham United, where apathy set in last term. Will Sunderland get off to a winning start, or can West Ham take up the role of party poopers?

Sunderland vs West Ham United best bets

• West Ham to win – 13/10 with Betfair
• Under 2.5 goals – 19/20 with BetMGM
• Jarrod Bowen to score any time – 9/5 with Ladbrokes

Sunderland vs West Ham odds

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Sunderland vs West Ham predictions

For the first time since May 2017, Sunderland will fulfil a Premier League fixture this weekend. West Ham United are the visitors to the Stadium of Light for what will be a great occasion for the Sunderland faithful.

After four successful relegation battles on the bounce, Sunderland finally succumbed to demotion from the top flight in 2016/17.

Aiming for an immediate return the following year, the Black Cats instead plumbed new depths by going down again, entering the third tier of English football for the first time since the mid-1980s.

It took Sunderland four years to even return to the Championship, where they fell short in the play-offs in 2022/23 before slumping to a 16th-place finish the year after.

A top-half finish was the aim last time out, but Sunderland exceeded expectations to qualify for the play-offs. Victories over Coventry City in the semis and Sheffield United in the final were secured with dramatic late winners.

And so Sunderland are back in the Premier League, where survival is the first and only target. Regis Le Bris has been backed in the transfer market after masterminding promotion, with Sunderland having spent more than £136m on new players so far.

However, Le Bris will not be under any illusions as to how tough the task he faces is. The last six promoted clubs have all gone straight back down to the Championship, and Sunderland amassed fewer points last season than any of Burnley, Luton Town, Sheffield United, Ipswich Town, Leicester City or Southampton in their promotion-winning campaigns. 

On the plus side, a home game against West Ham on the opening weekend is not exactly the toughest possible start to the new season.

The Hammers endured an underwhelming campaign last term, finishing 14th in the league and exiting both cup competitions early. The jury remains out on Graham Potter at the London Stadium, although many of West Ham’s issues run deeper than the head coach.

The Londoners were European regulars under David Moyes, winning the Conference League and enjoying deep runs in the Europa League on two occasions. The most recent of those was only in 2023/24, but that feels like a long time ago now. 

First and foremost, Potter must try to restore the connection between the team and the fans this season. 

Sunderland vs West Ham betting tips

Sunderland host West Ham United on the opening weekend of the 2025/26 Premier League season.

Sunderland to come unstuck

There is considerably more excitement to be found among the Sunderland fan base than that of West Ham ahead of the big kick-off this weekend.

Yet this feels like it could be a game where a promoted club’s early-season optimism is punctured by a more experienced opponent ready to dish out a lesson in the harsh realities of the Premier League.

Sunderland have lost Tom Watson and Jobe Bellingham, both of whom impressed last term, and it will take a while for Le Bris to integrate nine new players, including former West Ham left-back Arthur Masuaku.

The Hammers hardly set the world alight in 2024/25, but they still have more proven top-flight quality at their disposal than Sunderland.

That could be a decisive factor on Saturday, when we reckon West Ham will get their season underway with a win in the northeast.

Back West Ham to win at 13/10 with Betfair

Tight game on the cards

West Ham were too easy to play against for much of last season, as evidenced by their concession of 62 goals in 38 league matches.

Potter must make his team more resilient in his first full campaign at the helm if he is to succeed in east London.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka is West Ham’s reigning Player of the Year and Max Kilman is a fine centre-back, so Potter has some useful defensive tools at his disposal. 

As mentioned above, it could take Sunderland a few weeks to find their rhythm in forward areas after so many changes to the squad.

This one looks set to be a low-scoring encounter.

Tip under 2.5 goals at 19/20 with BetMGM

Bowen to be the difference-maker

Few Premier League teams are as reliant on a single player as West Ham are on Jarrod Bowen.

The England international has been a rare bright spot for the club over the past couple of years, and he was once again their top scorer with 14 goals last season.

Able to play through the middle or out wide, Bowen’s versatility is just one of his numerous assets.

A clinical finisher when he gets opportunities in and around the penalty area, the former Hull City man will cause Sunderland problems.

Go for Jarrod Bowen to score any time at 9/5 with Ladbrokes

Sunderland vs West Ham United predicted lineups

• Sunderland expected lineup: Roefs; Hume, Ballard, Seelt, Reinildo; Xhaka, Le Fee, Diarra; Adingra, Guiu, Mayenda. 
• West Ham United expected lineup: Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Kilman, Todibo, Diouf; Alvarez, Ward-Prowse; Bowen, Paqueta, Guilherme; Fullkrug. 

How to watch Sunderland vs West Ham United

• Location: Stadium of Light, Sunderland, England.
• Date and time: Saturday August 16th, 3pm.
• How to watch: Not being shown live in the UK.

More Premier League predictions

We have plenty more predictions for the opening weekend of the Premier League here – check out our latest betting tips in our match preview overview.

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

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