Rowell Report: Sunderland will hope to keep the momentum going at West Ham

I'm sure the media will focus on Sam Allardyce this week in the build-up to Sunderland's game at West Ham, but Jermain Defoe also has strong Hammers connections and will have a big incentive to do well.
That winning feeling, Lamine Kone celebrates scoring the winner against Manchester United last time out.That winning feeling, Lamine Kone celebrates scoring the winner against Manchester United last time out.
That winning feeling, Lamine Kone celebrates scoring the winner against Manchester United last time out.

Any player going back to a former club wants to put on a show and as West Ham were the club were he first made his name, he will almost feel like he is going home.

The ex-England international is in a good run of form, with six goals in seven games, and his experience and predatory instincts are going to be hugely important to Sunderland not just on Saturday, but for the rest of the season.

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With Steven Fletcher and Danny Graham being allowed to leave, it means we haven’t that many options up front, which makes Defoe an even more key figure in the team and the main man among the strikers.

When Gus Poyet signed him just over a year ago, it seemed there wasn’t much of a plan or system to get the best out of him.

That continued under Dick Advocaat, who often used him in a wide role.

To his great credit, he never complained and worked selflessly as he realised in Sunderland’s position, that the team came first in the battle against relegation.

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Jermain is at the stage of his career now were he can’t do the workload that he could 10 years ago, but he is smart enough to conserve his energy and really make his runs count and he hasn’t lost that instinct in the box that always gets him one or two chances a game.

His finest moment in a red and white shirt has to be his stunning derby goal last season were the occasion and his match winner left even someone as experienced as him emotional.

I am sure he would love a goal of similar quality at his old club, but being the striker he is, he would probably be just as happy with a one-yard tap in.