Dick Advocaat will be looking a much needed three points in his first game in charge of Sunderland when they travel to Upton Park to face West Ham on Saturday afternoon.
The Dutchman has been brought in at the beginning of the week after the sacking of Gus Poyet and faces the uphill task of keeping Sunderland in the top flight, the Wearside team currently sit just a point above the relegation zone after their 4-0 demolishing by Aston Villa on the last match day. That embarrassing defeat has summed up Sunderland’s form over the majority of the season winning just four matches all campaign and drawing an astounding 14 and haven’t won a Premier League match since the end of January.
This might be Sunderland’s best opportunity to gain three points against a West Ham side that have fallen out of form, the hammers had a brilliant start to the season but since the turn of the year their form has dropped drastically. Sam Allardyce’s side like their opponents haven’t won since January and have lost their last three games with the latest being a 3-0 loss to London rivals Arsenal last Saturday.
Advocaat will be without midfielder Lee Cattermole as he serves his second game of his ban and he is also without Adam Johnson despite his return to training. Emanuele Giaccherini is still missing with a long term injury while William Buckley and Steven Fletcher are doubts with the latter being forced off in last week’s defeat.
Carl Jenkinson returns for the hammers after he missed the game against his parent club last week, Allardyce still has a considerable injury list with; Andy Carroll, Carlton Cole, Winston Reid and James Tomkins all missing while striker Enner Valencia remains a doubt for the clash.