Squad news: Alan Pardew has named new loan signing Lionel Scaloni in his squad for the Premiership clash against Sunderland, while Christian Dailly is available again after serving a one-match suspension. Roy Carroll is still missing with a troublesome back injury, but Yossi Benayoun is included after picking up a slight knock against Arsenal on Wednesday night.
Squad to face Sunderland: Hislop, Bywater, Dailly, Scaloni, Konchesky, Clarke, Gabbidon, Ferdinand, Collins, Mullins, Reo-Coker, Fletcher, Newton, Etherington, Benayoun, Harewood, Zamora, Sheringham, Ashton, Katan.
Sunderland, meanwhile, hope to have defenders George McCartney and Stephen Wright back after injury, but former Hammer Gary Breen is doubtful with a groin injury. Another ex-Hammer, French midfielder Christian Bassila, may start, while new signing Rory Delap has not yet recovered from an Achilles problem.
Previous meetings: Sunderland visit Upton Park for the seventh season in a row this weekend, and are the only team to have played a league fixture at the Boleyn every season since the turn of the Millennium, as the two sides went down and back up together.
Hammers have certainly had the better of the matches in recent times, but the final game of last season was a night to forget. Marlon Harewood seemed to have put West Ham on their way to 1-0 win, then two second half strikes claimed the Championship for the Black Cats, and meant that Hammers play-off chances were no longer in their own hands - thankfully things worked out in the end!
The previous season saw West Ham come back from a 2-0 deficit to take the points thanks to Jermain Defoe's double and a late winner from Ian Pearce. Defoe also struck against Sunderland in 2002 alongside Steve Lomas and Trevor Sinclair, and in 2003 with Fredi Kanoute.
On their way to promotion in 1992, Hammers hit Sunderland for six at Upton Park, and three years earlier had put five past them for no reply. Kevin Keen and Martin Allen were on the score sheet on both occasions. Trevor Morley, Alvin Martin and Mark Robson all scored in 1992, and in 1989 the remaining strikes came form Stuart Slater and Eamon Dolan with two. Dolan only managed three goals in his entire West Ham United career.
Six and five may appear impressive scorelines - but not compared to the feat achieved in 1968. Geoff Hurst hammered in six goals himself against Sunderland at Upton Park that season, to go with one from Bobby Moore and one from Trevor Brooking, leading to West Ham's record league victory, 8-0.
Amazingly enough, that was Hammers first home league win over the Black Cats since 1926. Stan Earle and John Campbell claimed the goals that day in a 3-2 win.
Place a bet: West Ham United's official betting partner, Bet24, are offering some attractive odds to Hammers fans wishing to take a gamble on the match against Sunderland.
A £10 bet on...
Ashton and Zamora to both score pays out £60
Ashton to score a debut hat-trick pays out £300Hammers to win 4-0 and Ashton to score pays out £700
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