Sam Allardyce rues defeat on Upton Park return

Sunderland head to Upton Park this weekend in the Premier League, and all the action can followed through live streaming.

Sunderland, who had drawn 2-2 at Liverpool and beaten Manchester United 2-1 on their two previous outings, remain a point from safety.

Khazri curled a free-kick on to the top of the bar following a further Adrian misjudgement but the Spaniard saw his team take a 30th-minute lead when Antonio skipped past Van Aanholt and steered a low shot into the far corner.

A rare moment of quality in an otherwise scrappy encounter allowed Michail Antonio to score the only goal of the game to move West Ham into fifth place and leave Sunderland stuck in the relegation zone.

His team created chances, particularly after the break, but paid the price for failing to take them.

In the second half, Jack Rodwell went closest to equalising, bringing a good save from Adrian and later shooting over from close range, but West Ham secured victory with resilient defending in the face of Sunderland’s pressure.

The Black Cats have lost nine times on the road in all this season, and their tally of 36 goals conceded on their travels is comfortably the worst in the division. It must be that black cat we ran over’.

Defenders Younes Kaboul (ankle) and Billy Jones (hip) plus midfielders Jan Kirchhoff (hamstring) and Sebastian Larsson (knee) are all fit and back in contention for Sunderland’s game at West Ham on Saturday.

“There’s one thing we’ve got to do better for sure if we’re going to stay in the Premier League, and that’s keeping clean sheets”, said Allardyce.

West Ham came even closer at the other end on 20 minutes, when it needed a brilliant fingertip save from Vito Mannone to turn a Liam Noble’s shot from the edge of the area onto the underside of the bar, and when the ball bounced up it was headed clear. From that, Khazri nearly caught out the Spanish keeper but just hit the top of the bar. Last weekend they produced a brilliant attacking display to thrash Blackburn Rovers of the second tier and make it through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup; where in the second half it just seemed as they were attacking at will, while playing some scintillating football in the process. His low, left-footed shot strikes the far post and creeps in to put West Ham ahead.

Substitute Rodwell was first up in the 74th minute as he wasted a golden opportunity to get the equaliser. DeAndre Yedlin was sent down the right and his cut-back was ideal for the midfielder, but Rodwell’s shot from eight yards was straight at Adrian.

Rodwell had another clear-cut opportunity in the 79th minute after Khazri’s cross wasn’t properly dealt with by Byram.

West Ham possible starting lineup: Adrian, Byram, Collins, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Kouyate, Noble, Obiang, Antonio, Valencia, Payet.

Sunderland: Mannone 7; Yedlin 6, Kone 6, O’Shea 7, Van Aanholt 6; N’Doye 5, Kirchoff 7, M’Vila 6, Khazri 7; Cattermole 5 (Rodwell 65, 6); Defoe 5.