EPL · Game Review

EPL game reviews – 2026-01-24

Premier League Matchday Wrap: Sunderland vs West Ham

Today’s Premier League card featured just the one clash in our feed, but it packed more than enough storylines for punters and fans alike. Sunderland hosted West Ham in an EPL matchup that delivered early goals, a late response, and a few standout individual displays that would have had player prop backers on the edge of their seats.

Using the official score and stat data from the match, this review breaks down how West Ham built a dominant first-half lead, how Sunderland tried to claw their way back, and which players drove the key markets like goals, shots, shots on target and goal contributions. If you were on goal scorer or shots bets, there are some clear takeaways for your next flutter.

Sunderland vs West Ham – Full Match Review

The numbers tell a fairly clear story: West Ham ran out 3–1 winners over Sunderland. According to the full-time standard metric, the home side (West Ham) finished with a score of 3, while the away side (Sunderland) ended on 1.

The Hammers did the bulk of their damage before the break. The first-half standard score shows the home team 3–0 up at half-time, with Sunderland failing to register in the opening 45. In the second half, the tables shifted slightly: West Ham didn’t add to their tally, while Sunderland pulled one back to win the second half 1–0.

Score Progression and Game Flow

From a betting and tactical point of view, this was very much a game of two halves:

  • Full-time standard score: West Ham 3 – 1 Sunderland
  • First half: West Ham 3 – 0 Sunderland
  • Second half: West Ham 0 – 1 Sunderland

That pattern fits with a scenario where West Ham came flying out of the blocks, converted their main chances, and then managed the game after the break, while Sunderland showed more intent and finally found a way through late on.

Goals, Assists and Key Attacking Performances

All goals, assists and attacking contributions below are taken directly from the player metrics in the score records.

West Ham’s Attack: Bowen, Fernandes and Summerville Lead the Way

For West Ham, the goals were nicely spread across their front line:

  • Jarrod Bowen – 1 goal, 1 assist, 1 shot on target, 1 total shot, and a team-high 2 goal contributions in the player score or assist metric.
  • Mateus Fernandes – 1 goal, 3 shots, 1 shot on target, and 1 goal contribution.
  • Crysencio Summerville – 1 goal, 1 shot, 1 shot on target, and 1 goal contribution.

Those three combined to account for every West Ham goal on the day:

  • Bowen was directly involved in two of the three goals (scoring one and assisting one).
  • Fernandes chipped in with a goal from his three-shot output, showing he wasn’t shy in front of goal.
  • Summerville was ruthlessly efficient, turning his only shot on target into a goal.

From a punting angle, Bowen’s numbers stand out. Anyone backing him in “to score or assist” markets was paid out comfortably; the data shows 2 in the “player score or assist” metric, matching his one goal and one assist. Fernandes also rewarded goal scorer plays, while his 3 total shots would have been right in the frame for shots and shots-on-target lines.

Valentín Castellanos and Supporting Cast

While Valentín Castellanos didn’t get on the scoresheet, he was a constant presence in the shot charts:

  • 2 shots in total
  • 2 shots on target
  • 0 goals and 0 assists

For player prop bettors, that’s the classic “right process, wrong result.” Castellanos hit the target twice and looked a threat, but the finishing touch eluded him. He finished on 0 goal contributions in the score-or-assist metric, despite doing most things right from a volume and accuracy perspective.

Elsewhere in West Ham’s XI:

  • Pablo Felipe managed 1 total shot, though it didn’t hit the target and he ended without a goal or assist.
  • Konstantinos Mavropanos popped up with 1 shot from defence but no goal.
  • A number of other Hammers – including Tomáš Souček, James Ward-Prowse, Kyle Walker-Peters, Soungoutou Magassa and Mohamadou Kanté – recorded 0 shots, 0 shots on target, 0 goals and 0 assists in the available data.

The core takeaway is that West Ham’s attacking threat was highly concentrated in a small group: Bowen, Fernandes, Summerville and Castellanos. That tight cluster is useful for future markets like first goal scorer, anytime goal scorer and shots lines.

Sunderland’s Response: Brobbey Finds the Net

Sunderland may have been blown away in the first half, but they did manage to get on the board in the second stanza. The primary bright spark was:

  • Brian Brobbey – 1 goal, 1 shot, 1 shot on target, 1 goal contribution in the player score or assist metric.

Brobbey was clinical: one shot, one on target, one goal. Sunderland’s only scorer combined efficiency with end product, and anyone live-betting second-half goal scorer markets would have been rewarded for faith in him.

Aside from Brobbey, Sunderland had a few players willing to pull the trigger:

  • Noah Sadiki – 1 shot, 1 shot on target, but 0 goals and 0 assists.
  • Trai Hume – 1 shot, no shot on target listed, and no goal.
  • Daniel Ballard – 1 shot from the back, with no goal.
  • Wilson Isidor and Chemsdine Talbi – 1 shot each, no goals or assists recorded.

That spread of attempts suggests Sunderland were able to create situations for different players, but lacked the cutting edge West Ham showed in the first half. In terms of goal contributions, only Brobbey and Nordi Mukiele (with an assist) registered a positive return.

Assists and Creative Influence

The assist data is straightforward:

  • Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) – 1 assist plus his goal, making him the most productive attacking player on the pitch.
  • Nordi Mukiele (Sunderland) – 1 assist and 1 total goal contribution, but 0 goals and 0 shots himself.

No other player – on either side – recorded an assist in the available metrics. That highlights the importance of Bowen as West Ham’s creative hub and Mukiele as Sunderland’s main provider on the day. If you’re looking at future “assist” or “score or assist” markets, those two are worth keeping firmly in mind.

Shots and Shots on Target: Where the Chances Came From

Looking more broadly at the shooting metrics, a few trends stand out:

West Ham Shooting Breakdown

  • Mateus Fernandes – 3 shots, 1 on target
  • Valentín Castellanos – 2 shots, 2 on target
  • Jarrod Bowen – 1 shot, 1 on target
  • Crysencio Summerville – 1 shot, 1 on target
  • Callum Wilson – 1 shot, 0 on target
  • Pablo Felipe – 1 shot, 0 on target
  • Konstantinos Mavropanos – 1 shot, 0 on target

Every shot on target for West Ham came from that core of forwards and attacking midfielders: Bowen, Fernandes, Summerville and Castellanos. The fact that all four had at least one shot on target underlines just how much pressure Sunderland’s back line came under, particularly before the break.

Sunderland Shooting Breakdown

  • Brian Brobbey – 1 shot, 1 on target (1 goal)
  • Noah Sadiki – 1 shot, 1 on target
  • Trai Hume – 1 shot
  • Daniel Ballard – 1 shot
  • Chemsdine Talbi – 1 shot
  • Wilson Isidor – 1 shot

Sunderland spread their chances around, but didn’t generate the same volume or accuracy that West Ham managed. With just two shots on target recorded (Brobbey and Sadiki), the visitors’ margin for error was thin. That’s a key point for total-shots and shots-on-target market watchers: West Ham’s attack was not only more frequent but more efficient.

Corners and Set-Piece Opportunities

Corners are always a handy indicator of where the territorial pressure lies, and they’re increasingly popular markets for bettors. The corner stats for this clash were surprisingly even:

  • Full-time corners: West Ham 3 – 3 Sunderland
  • First half corners: West Ham 1 – 2 Sunderland
  • Second half corners: West Ham 2 – 1 Sunderland

Despite West Ham dominating the first-half scoreline, Sunderland actually edged the corner count 2–1 before the break. That suggests the visitors did manage to push forward and force set-pieces, even while being punished by West Ham’s more clinical finishing.

In the second half, the corners swung slightly in West Ham’s favour (2–1), mirroring a more balanced contest overall. For punters, the key note is that the corners market finished level at 3–3. Anyone who fancied a tight corners line or backed Sunderland on a first-half corners handicap would have been in with a chance.

Defensive and Goalkeeper Notes

The data supplied doesn’t include saves, tackles or possession metrics, so we can’t drill down into the full defensive picture. However, a few inferences can be made from the attacking numbers and goal figures:

  • Alphonse Aréola (West Ham) – Recorded 0 shots, 0 goals and 0 assists, as expected from a keeper. With only one goal conceded overall, and Sunderland creating limited shots on target, Aréola likely had a relatively steady afternoon outside of Brobbey’s finish.
  • Anthony Patterson (Sunderland) – Also registered no attacking stats, but with West Ham producing multiple shots on target and scoring three times, he was certainly the busier of the two keepers.

Among the defenders, there were a few forays forward: Sunderland’s Daniel Ballard and West Ham’s Konstantinos Mavropanos each had a shot, but neither player found the target. For set-piece goal scorer markets, those are the names to watch – they have license to get on the end of dead-ball situations, even if they didn’t convert today.

What It Means for Bettors Going Forward

From an odds and form-reading perspective, this match offers a few clear angles:

  • West Ham’s core attackers are reliable props options. Bowen, Fernandes, Summerville and Castellanos all featured strongly in shots and goal involvement metrics. Bowen in particular looks a standout for “to score or assist” markets.
  • Sunderland have a finisher in Brobbey. With a clean one-shot-one-goal return, he’s the main threat to keep an eye on for anytime goal scorer markets, especially in games where Sunderland are likely to see more of the ball.
  • Corners markets can be tighter than scorelines suggest. Despite a 3–1 result, corners finished 3–3, with Sunderland even shading the first-half count. Don’t just follow the match odds when assessing corner markets.
  • First-half vs second-half dynamics matter. West Ham’s 3–0 first-half and Sunderland’s 1–0 second-half show how different the two periods can be. For next goals and half-specific markets, recent trends in how teams start and finish games are crucial.

Conclusion: What Today’s Action Tells Us – and Your Next Move

Even with just the one match on the slate, Sunderland vs West Ham delivered plenty for stat-minded fans and value hunters. West Ham’s 3–1 win was built on a blistering first half, driven by Jarrod Bowen’s all-round quality and sharp finishing from Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville. Sunderland showed more resilience after the break, with Brian Brobbey taking his one big chance and Nordi Mukiele providing the assist.

The shot and corners data underline how important it is to look beyond the headline score. Corners finished level at 3–3, Sunderland actually edged the first-half corner count, and West Ham’s main threats repeatedly hit the target – all key pieces of info if you’re lining up your next multi or player props.

If you’re planning to bet on upcoming EPL fixtures, make sure you’re not just guessing. Use an odds comparison tool to line up the best prices across bookies on markets like:

  • Anytime goal scorer and “score or assist”
  • Total shots and shots on target for key forwards
  • First-half vs second-half results and next goal markets
  • Total corners and handicap corners

The edges are in the details – and the details are in the stats. Before you place your next bet, jump onto our odds comparison tool, line up the best prices for your chosen markets, and give yourself the best possible value every time you have a punt.