West Ham v Sunderland: The last six meetings at the Boleyn Ground
Here we look back on the Black Cats’ last six matches away to the Hammers, with one cracking win, a couple of draws and three defeats.
2014/15: West Ham 1 Sunderland 0
Dick Advocaat’s opening game in charge of Sunderland culminated in defeat after cruelly conceding a late winner at West Ham.
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Hide AdSunderland had been on track for their 15th draw of the season after a scrappy, ugly game at Upton Park, where there had been nothing between the two sides.
But the Black Cats, who saw Jermain Defoe spurn a glorious first-half chance, paid the price for conceding with two minutes to go when Diafra Sakho netted after referee Lee Mason failed to spot a blatant foul on Seb Larsson.
2013/14: West Ham 0 Sunderland 0
Sunderland’s search for a first away goal since August continued after a goalless draw at second-bottom West Ham.
Gus Poyet’s side enjoyed the better of the game at Upton Park, yet couldn’t find the breakthrough to avoid a second successive stalemate on the road.
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Hide AdJozy Altidore passed up a golden opportunity to give Sunderland an early lead, before Phil Bardsley smashed a rasping drive against the crossbar from long-range.
The second half was a scrappier affair, with Ki Sung-Yeung going closest for the Black Cats, only to see his shot from close range pushed away by Jussi Jaaskelainen.
2012/13: West Ham 1 Sunderland 1
Sunderland were within seconds of their first Premier League win of the season only to concede a goal in injury time to former Newcastle United captain Kevin Nolan.
The ex-Magpie capitalised on the umpteenth ball the Hammers lofted into the Sunderland penalty area after Matt Jarvis had pulled the ball back to Modibo Maiga, whose header into the danger area was hooked home from eight yards.
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Hide AdIt was hard lines on Sunderland, who had fought doggedly all afternoon to hold on to Steven Fletcher’s 10th-minute opener.
The Scot’s fourth goal in three league games came after a smart interception by Seb Larsson on the right and the Swede’s cross was quickly controlled and despatched by the £12m man.
For the fourth time in four Premier League games, though, Sunderland found themselves on the back foot for most of the match – and Simon Mignolet made some impressive saves, notably from Nolan’s acrobatic volley.
2010/11: West Ham 0 Sunderland 3
Bolo Zenden signed off with Sunderland in style, scoring the opening goal in a win that helped the Black Cats climb to a 10th-place finish in the Premier League, above neighbours Newcastle, on the final day of the season.
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Hide AdZenden’s mistimed header sailed over Robert Green in what was the veteran midfielder’s final match before quitting Wearside.
Stephane Sessegnon’s 20-yard effort and midfield flop Cristian Riveros’s stoppage-time third sealed the victory in the second half against the relegated Hammers.
Newcastle squandered a 3-0 lead at home to West Brom, meaning Sunderland jumped above them into the top half of the table - the Wearsiders’ highest top-flight finish in a decade.
2009/10: West Ham 1 Sunderland 0
Sunderland were all but safe from the drop despite going down to a goal from Brazilian striker Ilan, whose goal took West Ham four points clear of the relegation zone.
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Hide AdAfter a tight, nervy first half, the Hammers made the breakthrough on 51 minutes as Manuel da Costa’s long free-kick was flicked on by striker Carlton Cole for Ilan, who stabbed home his second goal in successive games.
Midfielder Lee Cattermole and striker Darren Bent both went close for the Wearsiders, 11 points ahead of the drop zone with four games to go, but West Ham held on for three precious points.
2008/09: West Ham 2 Sunderland 0
Sunderland failed to build on a bright start as West Ham stepped up their push for European qualification.
Junior Stanislas tapped home the breakthrough goal from a cross by Luis Boa Morte three minutes before the break, after a slick move featuring David Di Michele.
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Hide AdDefender James Tomkins doubled the lead made it 2-0 eight minutes into the second period when he powered a header out of the reach of keeper Craig Gordon after leaping the highest to get on the end of a Mark Noble corner.
Grant Leadbitter was Sunderland’s biggest threat, firing one effort just wide from 20 yards, being denied by a fine Green save and then having an effort cleared off the line by James Collins.
Follow today’s build-up, action and reaction on our live matchday blog