Sunderland made a strong statement with their 3-0 victory over West Ham, according to Regis Le Bris. The Black Cats celebrated their return to the Premier League with an impressive second-half performance at the Stadium of Light. Eliezer Mayenda opened the scoring in the 61st minute, followed by Dan Ballard's goal shortly after. Wilson Isidor added a third in injury time, finishing off a breakaway initiated by Chemsdine Talbi.

Le Bris expressed his satisfaction with how Sunderland maintained their identity from last season. He stated, "It's really important for two reasons, showed they can step up. We'll see later, but today it was really important because they kept the identity of the club and the way we worked last season." He emphasised that their strength lies in teamwork and togetherness.

The manager highlighted that minimal changes were made during half-time. They discussed goalkeeper restarts and focused on high pressing. By going man-to-man, they created opportunities through long balls. Le Bris noted that being strong in duels was crucial, and small tactical adjustments made a significant impact.

Graham Potter, West Ham's manager, reflected on missed chances in the first half. He said, "I was happy with our performance in the first half, we started things well, unlucky not to score, we quietened the crowd and felt in control." However, he admitted that the second half began sluggishly for his team.

Potter acknowledged that Sunderland's opening goal resulted from poor defensive positioning. He explained that allowing a free header gave Sunderland momentum. Despite efforts to recover, West Ham conceded another goal cheaply.

Historical Context and Statistics

This victory marked Sunderland's first Premier League win since May 2017 and their first by three or more goals since February 2017. It also ended an eight-match winless streak against West Ham dating back to January 2013 when they last won 3-0 against them.

West Ham set an unwanted record by becoming only the fourth team to concede 900 away goals in Premier League history. They joined Everton (925), Tottenham (922), and Newcastle United (912) but reached this milestone in fewer matches (556).

Sunderland's triumph showcased their ability to compete at this level while maintaining their core principles from previous seasons. The team's cohesive play and strategic adjustments were key factors in securing this emphatic win over West Ham.