“Potter in trouble already – Winners and losers from West Ham vs Sunderland”, featuring the key highlights and lowlights from today’s Premier League opener—the perfect spotlight on what went right (for Sunderland) and what went terribly wrong (for West Ham under Graham Potter).
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Winners
1. Sunderland
The newly-promoted Black Cats announced their return to the Premier League with a statement 3-0 victory over West Ham at the Stadium of Light, marking their first top-flight win in over 3,000 days .
Eliezer Mayenda, Dan Ballard, and Wilson Isidor—three players from last season’s promotion side—provided the goals, underlining the strength of their fighting core amid a summer squad overhaul .
Sunderland boss Régis Le Bris, backed by a sizable summer rebuild and a wave of fresh signings, executed a clinical second-half performance, lifting the atmosphere and placing his team temporarily at the top of the table .
2. Daniel Ballard & Eliezer Mayenda
Ballard, the Championship play-off hero, doubled the lead with a smart header in the 73rd minute—emphasizing his knack for big moments .
Mayenda opened the scoring just after the hour with a precise header from an Alderete cross—a dignified marker of his arrival on the Premier League stage .
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Losers
1. Graham Potter
Despite enjoying more possession (63% to Sunderland’s 37%) and more overall shots, West Ham lacked penetration and clarity—ranking lower in xG (0.61 vs Sunderland’s 0.70)—fueling criticism that Potter is failing to translate possession into productivity .
This performance, a repeat pattern of toothless attacking and defensive frailties, has turned up the pressure on Potter early in the season—with fans already calling for his dismissal after just one game .
2. Mads Hermansen & Malick El Hadji Diouf
Hermansen, the new club-record goalkeeper, had an unconvincing debut—struggling with decision-making and distribution, further exposing the shaky defense .
Diouf, who began well by creating two chances and performing solidly in the first half, faded in the second—raising questions over his readiness at this level and casting doubt over his consistency .
3. Possession without purpose
The highlights underline the frustration: West Ham dominated the ball but failed to convert their dominance into meaningful opportunities. The expected-goals margin favored Sunderland despite possession stats being lopsided —an all-too-familiar narrative under Potter .
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Verdict
Sunderland’s fairy-tale Premier League return could not have gone more smoothly: a spirited second-half display, goals from key returnees, and an overwhelming home crowd made it unforgettable. For West Ham, the loss is a glaring warning: dominance of possession means little without end product. Potter is now under early-season scrutiny, and if he can’t get results—and quickly—the patience of the board and fans may run out sooner than expected.
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