Sunderland have relinquished a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 against West Ham United in their Premier League clash at the Stadium of Light.
The Black Cats raced into their two-goal advantage within the first half hour of the match through Steven Fletcher and Jeremain Lens.
Carl Jenkinson, however, halved the deficit on the stroke of half time, before Dimitri Payet struck the equaliser on the hour.
Dick Advocaat's charges were also reduced to 10 men after Lens was shown a second yellow card in the second half, but they hung on for a draw.
Here is how Sports Mole covered the afternoon's action in Wearside.
Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the Premier League clash between Sunderland and West Ham United!
The Stadium of Light will be a match between two sides on the opposite ends of the league. The hosts are languishing at the foot of the table with just two points from seven games, while the Hammers are up in third place on 13 points.
Sunderland, like their local rivals Newcastle United, are still searching for their first league win of the season, having recorded four consecutive defeats in all competitions.
As for Slaven Bilic's charges... well, to have claimed away wins at Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool is nothing short of sensational, and Hammers fans are absolutely loving life at the moment.
Now, time for the team news...
SUNDERLAND STARTING XI: Pantilimon, Jones, Yedlin, O'Shea, Coates, Cattermole, M'Vila, Toivonen, Lens, Borini, Fletcher
WEST HAM STARTING XI: Adrian, Jenkinson, Reid, Tomkins, Cresswell, Noble, Kouyate, Moses, Payet, Lanzini, Sakho
SUNDERLAND SUBS: Mannone, Van Aanholt, Brown, Larsson, Rodwell, Gomez, Defoe
WEST HAM SUBS: Randolph, Zarate, Obiang, Collins, Jelavic, Antonio, Oxford
Three changes for Dick Advocaat's side this afternoon as DeAndre Yedlin makes his first league start of the season in place of Patrick van Aanholt, while Younes Kaboul and Adam Johnson are omitted from the squad in favour of Sebastian Coates and Steven Fletcher. Another notable point - Wes Brown is included on the bench, the first time that the ex-Manchester United man is involved in a Sunderland matchday squad this season.
For the opponents, it is a little simpler - no changes. No fresh injury or suspension worries for Bilic, and if it's not broken, why fix it, he probably thinks.
When Advocaat took over at the Stadium of Light at the tail end of last season, he managed to keep the side up, and fans managed to persuade the Dutchman to stay on for another campaign. Sadly for the Wearside faithful, the honeymoon period ended with along with the season, to be replaced by trials, tribulations and strife this time round. And there have been reports of the man at the helm looking to vacate the hotseat come the end of today's fixture.
The speculation has been somewhat varied, with some sources claiming that Advocaat will leave if Sunderland lose, while others suggested that he will be on his way no matter what the outcome.
What we can report in full confidence is his answer at the Black Cats press conference when asked about the rumours, which went as follows: "I always think in facts and the fact is it is now Friday and I am the manager of Sunderland, and I am the manager of Sunderland tomorrow as well. What will happen on Sunday or a week on Sunday or nine months after Sunday, then I will tell you real story, but now I'm still here and nothing has changed."
© Getty Images
Make of that what you will, but the fact of the matter is, Sunderland have been struggling this season. Bottom of the Premier League table, two draws and five defeats in the league with 16 goals conceded, four consecutive defeats in all competitions... the alarm bells are ringing at the Stadium of Light.
SPORTS MOLE SOFA: With half an hour to go until kickoff, this is a good time to check out Sports Mole's video preview of the game.
In stark contract to the doom and gloom at Sunderland, West Ham are in a very good place currently. There was no better way to kick off the season than by causing an opening-day upset in a 2-0 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates - and they have also managed to secure victories over Liverpool and Manchester City on the road.
Now they stand on the verge of history - they have never claimed four consecutive away wins in the Premier League before, but this will change if they claim victory at the Stadium of Light this afternoon.
Bilic, however, is not resting on his laurels. This is what he said at his press conference: "Our three wins and where we got them mean absolutely nothing. If we start to think for a couple of seconds about how we did against Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester City and think it is going to be easier against Sunderland, we had better stop that before we even start.
"Are we confident? Yes, we are. But we are playing a team who have also been unlucky in some of their games. They have to start collecting points. We are expecting a tough, tough game on Saturday."
STATS: Let's cast an eye over the stats surrounding this fixture - and sadly for Sunderland fans, they favour the opposition. West Ham are unbeaten in the last four league meetings against the Wearside outfit, while the last meeting saw the Hammers claim a 1-0 win - in Dick Advocaat's first match in charge. Could it go full circle, with a defeat marking his last match in charge?
Keep looking away if you're a Sunderland fan - your side have failed to win any of their last 10 league games - the longest current run in the division. They have also won just four of their 26 league games in 2015, scoring just 21 times, and have yet to keep a clean sheet in their nine matches in all competitions this season.
Now for some West Ham stats, which make for great reading (if you're a Hammers fan) - West Ham have the best away record in the Premier League this season, winning all three fixtures and only conceding one goal, and have scored an unsurpassed 15 Premier League goals - Sunderland have managed just six.
And Dimitri Payet continues to thrill in the English game - he has been involved in 13 goals (four goals, nine assists) in his last 15 league appearances in England and France. Not a bad record huh?
PREDICTION: Ten minutes until kickoff, so it's my time to have a guess at the result. I really can't see past West Ham claiming a win, though I do think Sunderland will make it hard for them. 2-0 to the Hammers is my prediction.
Not long now until kickoff, with Advocaat appearing to be spending a fair bit of time at the entrance of the tunnel.
The Sunderland subs have already taken their places on the bench, while John O'Shea and the rest of the Black Cats starters line up in the tunnel. Mark Noble will be leading West Ham out.
Cheers from the crowd as the players come out onto the pitch. Time for the pre-match formalities and then it's all systems go!
KICKOFF! The referee blows the whistle and we are underway, with West Ham kicking off!
BOOKING: And the first significant action of the game is a yellow card for West Ham's Noble, who catches Toivonen's ankles as the Sunderland man bursts forward. 90 seconds played and already the ref is getting his cards out.
Yedlin goes in late on Moses to give the Hammers a free kick out on the left touchline, but Payet's inswinger is cleared away.
Jenkinson and Cresswell are getting forward often for the Hammers as they boss possession on the pitch, but the hosts are staying firm, wary of their opponents' strength on the counter. Not much to write home about just yet, however.
GOAL! SUNDERLAND 1-0 WEST HAM (STEVEN FLETCHER)
Well, well, well! High-flying West Ham are now a goal behind at struggling Sunderland! Jenkinson's shove on Borini gifts the hosts a free kick, which M'Vila slides into the box into the run of Fletcher, who is on hand to rifle past Adrian and into the net! The home fans are going barmy!
CHANCE! West Ham barely have time to compose themselves before Sunderland come at them again! Toivonen plays a clever ball beyond the defence to free Borini on the right, but the striker's effort bundles into the side netting. Striking while the, ahem, Irons are hot.
But here come the Hammers, as Sunderland backtrack - and back off - in the face of an oncoming Lanzini. The Argentine tries to surprise Pantilimon with a strike from distance, but his effort trickles wide of the near post.
It's end to end stuff here as the livewire Borini is forced to play out wide to Yedlin, who can't pick out a teammate with his cross, while at the other end Moses plays in an incisive pass from the edge of the box, but one of the defenders reacts at the last minute and thwarts his effort.
PENALTY APPEAL! Fletcher tries to feed Borini inside the Hammers area but is brought down by a Tomkins challenge - following some hesitation from the referee, play is waved on.
GOAL! SUNDERLAND 2-0 WEST HAM (JEREMAIN LENS)
But it matters little, because Sunderland succeed in extending their lead! This is remarkable - I'm well aware of how football is completely unpredictable and can catch you out, but even I thought that Sunderland's form was just too poor against the high-flying Hammers! How wrong was I!
And what a goal that was by Lens too! He latches onto M'Vila's pass and, despite having Payet to his side, he gets his foot under the ball on the edge of the area and launches a perfectly weighted lob over Adrian, off the underside of the bar and into the back of the net!
BOOKING: West Ham, meanwhile, have gone up a notch on the "what is happening" scale here, from "rattled" to "shellshocked". The frustration and anxiety may have possibly gone to the head of Reid, who in turn goes into the book for a bodycheck on Fletcher.
CHANCE! And it could have been three just there! O'Shea is first to a corner from the right, and glances a header towards the far corner of the goal, but Adrian gets his right arm up in time and deflects the ball to safety.
Lens, brimming with confidence, decides to have another pop at goal with a 25-yard volley on his weaker foot. This time, though, it fails to trouble Adrian.
BOOKING: It's a first Sunderland booking which falls to Lens, who is halted for clattering Cresswell.
Cattermole is putting in a good shift in the Black Cats midfield as he wins the ball, powers forward and almost picks out the run of Lens with a poked pass, but it's intercepted in the end.
BOOKING: Now Cresswell exacts his revenge on Lens, who clattered into the West Ham man just minutes ago, with a foul on the goalscorer as he went for a loose ball.
CHANCE! Sunderland really could be going in at the break three or four goals to the good here, as Toivonen picks out Fletcher, who sends Borini through on goal, but the Italian slides his shot a yard wide of the right post.
Sunderland fans claim that Reid should be given a second yellow for what they perceive to be handball, but the referee ignores their appeals.
CHANCE! How long before Borini gets onto the scoresheet? He is getting closer and closer, his latest effort a 20-yard curler which swings just wide - we're talking inches.
BOOKING: Yet another yellow is shown here as Cattermole catches Payet late. That's five in the first half alone. So far.
GOAL! SUNDERLAND 2-1 WEST HAM (CARL JENKINSON)
Uh-oh. For all of Sunderland's feelgood vibes this afternoon, that goal could prove costly, right on the stroke of half time. Three Black Cats defenders fail to stop Moses launching a cross in from the left, and it's Jenkinson who charges in to fire home from around 12 yards out. Game on!
HALF TIME: SUNDERLAND 2-1 WEST HAM
Neil Swarbrick gets his lips to the whistle and blows to put an end to the first-half action here at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland fans have quietened down a fair bit after that last-minute strike from Carl Jenkinson, which means that, at the break, it's Sunderland leading West Ham by two goals to one.
Prior to kickoff, the Black Cats faithful would have been buoyed by this scoreline, but in reality, the hosts completely dominated proceedings on the pitch, and could have easily been four goals ahead. The goal came at a really bad time in the game from the point of view of Sunderland, giving their opponents the chance to regroup.
Steven Fletcher got Dick Advocaat's charges off to a great start with his strike from a procedure straight out of the training ground, before Jeremain Lens doubled their lead with a frankly outrageous lob over Adrian, but Jenkinson pulled the Hammers back within a goal in first-half stoppage time.
Sunderland players celebrating their opener against West Ham - but will they still be cheering come the final whistle, or will the visitors claim something from this game? Stay with Sports Mole for a blow-by-blow account of the action!
© Getty Images
KICKOFF: Back underway here at the Stadium of Light!
Moses tumbles under a Jones challenge around 20 yards out for a West Ham free kick, which Payet takes but fails to trouble Pantilimon.
A bit of a battle has emerged between Borini and Jenkinson in the centre of the park, as the two get successive tackles in on each other. The West Ham man is now on the ground, and it looks like he may have hurt his shoulder.
Indeed, Jenkinson leaves the pitch for treatment, and Sunderland look to strike amid their temporary man advantage as Fletcher lets rip with a shot which ricochets around the six-yard box before West Ham hack clear.
PENALTY APPEAL! The home fans are screaming for a penalty against Cresswell as he clatters into Borini in the box, but nothing comes of it.
CHANCE! West Ham come close to edging level as Lanzini waltzes in from the left and lashes an effort just past Pantilimon's left-hand post from 20 yards.
RED CARD! The afternoon, which started so well for Sunderland, is now in danger of unravelling as the hosts, hanging onto their one-goal lead by the skin of their teeth, now find themselves down to ten men as Lens shown a second yellow for a hack from behind on Reid!
SUBSTITUTION: Victor Moses is replaced by Nikica Jelavic for West Ham.
GOAL! SUNDERLAND 2-2 WEST HAM (DIMITRI PAYET)
The Stadium of Light goes quiet as the hosts, which let's not forget could have been 4-0 up shortly before the break, now find themselves back level and down to ten men against West Ham! Lanzini's effort is parried by Pantilimon into the path of Payet, who rifles home the rebound to completely cancel the visitors' deficit, and they may very well fancy their chances of going for the jugular in the last half hour of the game!
CHANCE! Poor, poor Sunderland! They're up against it now, as Payet plays an incisive ball to Jelavic in the box, but the Croatian prods narrowly over the crossbar!
Advocaat is furious as Noble escapes a second yellow for a bodycheck on Borini near the halfway line. The Hammers captain remains on the pitch despite the home crowd calling for his dismissal.
SUBSTITUTION: Another change by Bilic as James Collins comes on for Winston Reid.
Payet, who has had a hand in a multitude of goals for both his current and his previous team, continues to be in the thick of it as his ball is ushered out by O'Shea for a corner, and from the set piece, Payet regains the ball and sends a cross onto the bonce of Jelavic, who nevertheless sees the ball fly wide.
BOOKINGS: Another yellow being shown here on the Stadium of Light pitch as Jenkinson he catches Jones. Moments later Coates goes into the book for the hosts with a hack on Lanzini - that's his fifth booking, so he will be getting suspended. That makes it eight bookings in total (or seven cautions and a sending-off) - feisty stuff.
Bit of a lull here in terms of chances or significant events, but West Ham continue to dominate proceedings on the pitch. Sunderland are really having to dig deep if they are to claim at least a point.
SUBSTITUTION: A final change for the visitors, and it's an attack-minded switch, with Mauro Zarate replacing Mark Noble.
CHANCE! Cresswell wastes a promising opportunity as he produces a goalbound effort from the edge of the box, which Pantilimon thwarts with a reflex save. Not long to go now if the Black Cats are to hang on.
SUBSTITUTION: It's a double change from Advocaat as Rodwell and Larsson come on for Toivonen - who looks as if he's picked up a knock - and Fletcher.
Jenkinson marauds down the right flank once again and wins a corner off Jones, which is only partially cleared before getting whipped back into the area, but Jelavic fluffs his lines with a poor connection from a header.
We're in the closing stages of this game and there is little to report except for some soft challenges and appeals, with Payet going down under little contact from Jones and, at the other end, Coates's thigh-to-ball contact coming under scrutiny by the Hammers players, who try to claim handball.
Four added minutes for Sunderland to see out - or for West Ham to try and nick a winner - here at the Stadium of Light.
West Ham are struggling to carve out another opening, with their opponents doing a good job so far of repelling the visitors.
M'Vila goes down clutching his thigh, so for the last minute or so or this game, Sunderland will be down to nine men as he comes off for treatment... can West Ham strike in what little time remains?
Cattermole gifts West Ham a late, late free kick, but Payet's delivery is headed wide by Jelavic. That could very well be it. One last change for Sunderland as Jordi Gomez comes on for Yann M'Vila for the last few seconds...
FULL TIME: SUNDERLAND 2-2 WEST HAM
The referee blows for full time and the points are shared here at the Stadium of Light - but what could have been for Sunderland? They raced into a two-goal lead within the first half hour through Steven Fletcher and Jeremain Lens, but Carl Jenkinson halved the deficit on the stroke of half time, before Dimitri Payet struck the equaliser on the hour, and so it ends.
West Ham were dominant in the final 30 minutes of the game against the Black Cats, who were reduced to 10 men when Lens was shown a second yellow prior to the visitors' equaliser, but it wasn't to be for them come the final whistle, as it finishes 2-2.
The only solace for Dick Advocaat's side is that they are off the foot of the Premier League, with local rivals Newcastle United taking their place in 20th following a devastating 6-1 thrashing at Manchester City, but bearing in mind that Sunderland could have easily been three or four goals ahead by the break, it will no doubt deflate the Black Cats faithful.
As for West Ham, they slip down to fifth following their failure to make history with a fourth consecutive away win, but they will be relieved considering how close they could have come to a thrashing in Wearside.
That's all we have time for here, but don't go anywhere, because Sports Mole will be bringing you all the latest match results and reaction from this and all the other games in the Premier League. Thanks for following and enjoy the rest of your weekend!
© Getty Images
Written by
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte
