Fernandes urges West Ham to stay focused amid recent wins

West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes has urged his team-mates to stay focused ahead of their Premier League match against Sunderland on Saturday.

The Hammers ended their 10-game winless run in the league with a 2-1 win against Tottenham last time out, with Callum Wilson scoring a stoppage-time winner.

That also came off the back of a 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup third round, with West Ham winning back-to-back matches for just the second time this season.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are now five points adrift of 17th-place Nottingham Forest, who face Brentford in MD23.

Fernandes believes West Ham must stay focused on the task at hand amid their improved mood at the training ground.

“Things have been difficult, but this game was different in that when we conceded we were ready to go again and try to go for the win,” said Fernandes after their win over Spurs.

“We maybe had a bit of luck, but sometimes you need that in football, and we just need to keep going now.

“We know we have Sunderland up next, and we know there will be a good feeling going into that. We felt it after the QPR win, because you enjoy everything more – you go into training happier, you’re happier at home, so yeah, this will be a good week.

“We know that in football things can change very quickly, so we have to stay focused, and we’ll do everything we can to be ready for that game and to try to get the points again.”

An 88th minute goal to seal the win over Sunderland in 14/15 pic.twitter.com/vo6G6r1euX

— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 21, 2026

Sunderland, meanwhile, continued their impressive return to the English top-flight with a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace last time out, leaving them three points off the top four in ninth.

Since that victory at the Stadium of Light, the Black Cats have added to their squad with the signing of 20-year-old winger Jocelin Ta Bi from Israeli side Maccabi Netanya.

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris believes the youngster will be an exciting addition, but has asked for patience in his development.

“He’s a young winger with a specific profile,” said Le Bris.

“It’s rare in this industry to find this explosiveness and skills to dribble and to have this courage and personality in one vs ones. He has this quality.

“Now we have to build his profile to get ready for the Premier League. You never know [how long it will take him to be ready].

“We can’t buy a full squad of experienced players like Granit [Xhaka] or Nordi [Mukiele]. We also have to build with young lads and give them opportunities and support them. I hope they will be strong players for us.”

RLB on Jocelin: ‘He’s a young winger with a specific profile. Now, we have to get him ready for the Premier League…’

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) January 19, 2026

PLAYERS TO WATCH

West Ham – Crysencio Summerville

After a run of 28 games without a goal since October 2024, Crysencio Summerville has now scored in his last two appearances for West Ham in all competitions.

He last scored in three in a row in February 2024 while in the Championship with Leeds United.

Sunderland – Granit Xhaka

Sunderland’s Xhaka has made more line-breaking passes that have led to a goal than any other player in the Premier League this season (eight).

Four of these have been direct assists by the Swiss, another league high.

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

West Ham have lost just one of their last 12 Premier League home games against Sunderland (W9 D2), going down 3-0 in May 2011. They have won their last three all by the same 1-0 scoreline.

The Hammers have lost just one of their last 21 Premier League home games against promoted sides (W16 D4) and are unbeaten in 12 since a 2-1 loss to Brentford in October 2021.

West Ham have not kept a clean sheet in any of their 17 Premier League games under Nuno.

Only three managers have gone longer from the start of their career with a club before – Brian Laws (18 with Burnley in 2009-10), Paul Lambert (21 with Norwich in 2011-12) and Ruud van Nistelrooy (21 with Leicester last season).

Sunderland, meanwhile, are looking to complete the Premier League double over West Ham for just the second time, previously doing so in 2010-11 when the Hammers were relegated.

The Black Cats are also looking to win consecutive Premier League games for just the second time this season, previously beating Wolves and Chelsea in October. However, they are winless in six away from home (D3 L3) since that 2-1 win over the Blues.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

West Ham – 39.3%

Draw – 26.6%

Sunderland – 34.1%