Counter-attacking the Hammer down

WELL, how about that? Sunderland marked their return to the Premier League with a win, turning in a very impressive second-half display against Graham Potter's side.

- By MATTY HEWITT Football writer [e-mail]

Eliezer Mayenda scored the Black Cats’ first goal back in the Premier League with a brilliant header past Mads Hermansen after a pinpoint cross from Omar Alderete just after the hour mark.

The Wearsiders’ second goal of the afternoon 12 minutes later was almost a carbon copy but from the opposite side, Simon Adingra’s cross met by the head of Dan Ballard and powered into the bottom corner.

Wilson Isidor came off the bench to add a third in injury time.

Here are the key talking points from Sunderland’s 3-0 win over West Ham United.

Regis Le Bris’ brilliant gameplan

Black Cats boss Le Bris handed out seven debuts in the starting XI with Robin Roefs, Reinildo, Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki, Habib Diarra, Simon Adingra and Chemsdine Talbi making their competitive bow for the Black Cats.

There has been plenty of discussion and debate about how the new players would fit in and whether Sunderland would be a cohesive unit. On this outing, it’s fair to say they were. Of course, they'll get better and improve in the coming weeks but they certainly didn’t look like a team who hadn't played together in a competitive fixture before.

Part of that is down to the system Le Bris utilises, the simplicity of it and yet efficiency both in and out of possession. The summer recruitment drive has signed square pegs for square holes.