From Paul Merson to Alan Shearer, top pundits predict Sunderland vs West Ham

West Ham start the new Premier League season with the long trip to newly-promoted Sunderland and now the top pundits have made their predictions for the match.

The jury is very much out on Graham Potter as he leads West Ham into a new season at Sunderland having failed to inspire during his first six months at the helm last season.

The Hammers won just five of their 19 games under Potter after he took over from Julen Lopetegui midway through last season.

That was an even worse record than his predecessor.

While West Ham were trying to avoid finishing 17th in the Premier League, the Black Cats were heading for promotion back to where they feel they belong.

Although Sunderland have lost Jobe Bellingham, the club have backed Regis Le Bris with significant funds to make a host of signings.

From Merson to Shearer, pundits predict Sunderland vs West Ham

One of them, Arthur Masuaku, may face his old team having joined the Black Cats for a surprise return to the English game.

Many pundits, fans and journalists believe West Ham are relegation candidates this season.

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Previously Paul Merson stated he thinks Sunderland will fancy finishing above the Hammers, who he expects to struggle.

He’s not alone in that thinking, Jamie Carragher believes West Ham are doomed to relegation.

First impressions can reveal a lot for a team’s hopes.

So all eyes will be on what West Ham and Sunderland do in the first game of the new campaign.

But what do the experts think will happen?

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Merson says Sunderland are nightmare for West Ham

From Paul Merson to Alan Shearer, the top pundits predict Sunderland vs West Ham.

Merson says Sunderland represent a ‘nightmare’ start for the Hammers.

But he believes West Ham will still prevail in a 1-0 victory.

“This is a nightmare game for West Ham,” Merson told SportsKeeda.

“When you’re a settled Premier League team like West Ham, you want to play the newly-promoted team in November, when they are dealing with the reality of the top-flight.

“This opening game makes it a leveller for Sunderland because they will be buoyed by their return to the Premier League. Sunderland will highlight this game as ‘must-win’ for themselves, especially since they are playing on home turf.

“If you are one of the newly-promoted teams, you’re looking at West Ham and Wolves as the teams you can potentially drag into the battle to avoid relegation.

“So Sunderland have to win this weekend, but I don’t think it will happen. Even though they have spent a lot of money, I expect West Ham’s seasoned Premier League campaigners to nick a win.”

Shearer says draw a good start for Hammers and Black Cats

Newcastle legend Shearer rarely has anything good to say about Sunderland.

The Premier League’s all-time leading scorer believes facing West Ham gives Sunderland a great opportunity to get off to a good start.

And he thinks a draw will be just that for both sides.

“It’s a great opportunity for Sunderland to get off to a good start,” Shearer told The Metro.

“It’ll be a brilliant atmosphere at the Stadium of Light. Two teams I don’t really see in the top-half this season.

“I’ll give each of them a point to start the season with which wouldn’t be a bad start for both.”

Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images

Chris Sutton says the jury is very much out on Potter after a disappointing first six months at the helm.

Sutton told BBC Sport that there are now no excuses for Potter this season as he has his own players and a full pre-season behind him.

The pundit says he admires that Sunderland have spent big on their return to the big time. But he thinks that could work against them and West Ham will run out 1-0 winners.

Sutton says jury out on Potter but West Ham will beat Sunderland

“Sunderland have made so many changes, they are unrecognisable from the team that won promotion last season,” Sutton said.

“I love their ambition, but I am not sure it will keep them up. A good start is vital to the promoted teams, and how quickly can they gel?

“There are question marks over West Ham, too. They were feeble at times under Graham Potter after he took charge halfway through last season and, while he could argue that wasn’t his team, he cannot have the same excuse now.

“This is a big season for Potter, and I think it will start well. West Ham have got enough nous to deal with the atmosphere at the Stadium of Light, and leave with three points.

Lewis Jones is Sky Sports’ leading football analyst who has his own weekly prediction column, Jones Knows.

He believes Sunderland West Ham could be a tough watch and is calling a goalless draw.

Neville, Carragher, Keane predict Sunderland vs West Ham

“This has the smell of a goalless grind, doesn’t it?” Jones said.

“I’m struggling to see how Sunderland score goals at this level. They only scored 1.29 goals per game last season – the eighth-highest in the Championship. Even Sheffield Wednesday averaged more.

“Regis Le Bris is someone who is suited to defence-first football and that is very hard to implement in this league with the quality in opposition ranks. Low-probability chances get taken.

“Le Bris will want to make this a scrap, kill the tempo, and smother the game. It’s Sunderland’s best chance for points.”

Predicting the game on The Overlap, Carragher and Gary Neville agreed it will be a 1-1 draw.

Meanwhile Roy Keane and Jill Scott went with 2-1 in favour of the Black Cats although their prediction teammate and former Hammer Ian Wright stated “I’d have went with West Ham there.”

Sunderland vs West Ham kicks off at 3pm.

West Ham will be furious about a Premier League announcement for the Sunderland clash.

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