Barclays Premier League

FULL-TIME REPORT

It looked too close to call prior to kick-off in the north east but by the end of the afternoon, there was no doubt over who looked the more impressive outfit. In truth, West Ham never got going and rarely threatened Sunderland's goal in the first half. The Black Cats on the other hand were in great from and Sebastian Larsson's fine strike was the least they deserved for their efforts in the opening period. Adam Johnson's goal early in the second half put the brakes on any Hammers comeback and James McClean's 74th minute goal rounded off a convincing performance from the home side, who are now just a point behind Sam Allardyce's men in the Premier League. West Ham though, sluggish throughout, will be wary that they don't get sucked into an ugly relegation battle.

FULL-TIME WHISTLE

It's all over at the Stadium of Light. It's finished Sunderland 3 West Ham United 0.

NOLAN MISS

West Ham have a great chance to get a consolation goal but Kevin Nolan makes a hash of it. From eight yards out, he tries to guide the ball into the corner of the goal on the half-volley but ends up slicing it wide. His wry smile tells a story of frustration.

SLUGGISH HAMMERS

In a moment which sums up West Ham's day, Winston Reid inexplicably kicks the ball out of play when trying to pick out the run of Danny Potts. It's been a worrying performance from the Hammers who have been sluggish and flat. James McFadden comes on for Sunderland, replacing Stephane Sessegnon who has been fantastic.

N'DIAYE GOES CLOSE

And Alfred N'Diaye nearly gets a goal straight away! Connor Wickham feeds the ball back into the feet of the onrushing midfielder but the Frenchman shoots narrowly wide from just inside the area. He looks like he has plenty of energy.

N'DIAYE DEBUT

Simon Mignolet is in the thick of the action again as James Tomkins drives at goal from inside the Sunderland area but again the Belgian stops. This Hammers rally has come far too late to have any influence on the final result. Meanwhile Alfred N'Diaye makes his Premier League debut for Sunderland, replacing Adam Johnson.

MIGNOLET STOP

Ricardo Vaz Te forces Simon Mignolet into action as he gets on the end of a Matt Jarvis cross. It's a tight angle but the Belgian goalkeeper spreads himself well to divert the ball behind for a corner.

FLETCHER OFF

It's been an alarmingly poor performance from West Ham who are in real danger of being sucked into the relegation battle in the Premier League. Meanwhile Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill introduces Connor Wickham in place of Steven Fletcher.

GAME OVER

It was more magic from Stephane Sessegnon who bamboozled Danny Potts inside the area. He got a shot in on goal but it lacked power and direction and in the end turned out to be an excellent pass for James McClean at the back post. The Northern Irish winger kept his composure to tap in from a very tight angle.

GOOOAAALLL!!!

James McClean scores to end this game as a contest! 3-0!

JARVIS ACTION

West Ham winger Matt Jarvis is seeing much more of the ball in the second half but can't pick out the likes of Marouane Chamakh and Kevin Nolan, mainly thanks to some excellent Sunderland defending.

REID BOOKING

Winston Reid picks up a booking for the Hammers after a very late tackle on Stephane Sessegnon. The resulting free-kick, from the left wing, is wasted, though.

COLE OFF TARGET

West Ham get another set piece which is cleared by Sunderland to the edge of their own area. Joe Cole is there and takes aim at goal but he is off balance and the ball swerves aimlessly away from Simon Mignolet's goal.

HAMMERS PRESS

Matt Jarvis flashes the ball across the Sunderland box and it's directed behind for a corner by Titus Bramble. West Ham whip the corner in but Alou Diarra's resulting header is blocked by Jack Colback at point blank range.

DISALLOWED GOAL

Jack Colback sets up Steven Fletcher who finishes fantastically but the assistant referee raised his flag for offside. It's the correct decision but Fletcher still isn't happy - it would have wrapped this game up.

COMEBACK UNLIKELY

West Ham haven't scored in their last three Premier League games and have scored just five away from Upton Park all season so a comeback is looking extremely unlikely here - especially as the home side's defence looks extremely comfortable.

GARDNER EFFORT

James Tomkins goes into the book somewhat controversially for a tackle on Stephane Sessegnon. The resulting free-kick, from 20 yards out and central to the Hammers goal, is taken by Craig Gardner whose vicious effort strikes Winston Reid flush in the face.

OFF THE POST

Jack Colback is put in by Stephane Sessegnon and sees his first shot saved. The ball comes back to him but his second effort strikes the post.

CHAMAKH ON

Here is Marouane Chamakh. Carlton Cole will make way and the striker has been ineffectual for the visitors today.

TOMKINS INTERCEPTS

Sebastian Larsson bends an excellent cross towards Steven Fletcher but James Tomkins rises to intercept it with a great header. Marouane Chamakh is being readied by Sam Allardyce.

LAX DIARRA

Alou Diarra is having an absolute nightmare for West Ham. He's caught in possession again by David Vaughan and then pulls back the Welshman to earn himself a booking.

DIARRA HEADER

Alou Diarra rises high to meet a Joe Cole free-kick but his looping header ends up on top of the net. West Ham are in real trouble now and did not need that Johnson goal at all.

POTTS MISTAKE

Sunderland launch a counter attack and Stephane Sessegnon sets James McClean in one-on-one with Jaaskelainen. The Finnish goalkeeper saves his shot but Danny Potts fails to clear the ball and Adam Johnson bundles the ball in at the near post after a brief goalmouth scramble.

GOOOAAALLL!!!

It's in! Adam Johnson makes it 2-0!

VAZ TE ON

Ricardo Vaz Te has come on for Jack Collison at half-time as West Ham try and turn this game on its head. It's an attacking change and is likely to see Joe Cole play more centrally.

BACK UNDERWAY

We're off again at the Stadium of Light. Can West Ham make a marked improvement in the second half or will Sunderland continue to ease themselves to three points?

HALF-TIME REPORT

It looked like a match which the gambling man would stay away from - statistics implied that it was too close to call. But after a first half in which Sunderland completely dominated, West Ham were little more than passengers. Sebastian Larsson's powerful drive from the edge of the Hammers box quantified the Black Cats dominance but in truth the difference in the scores should be much greater. West Ham and Sam Allardyce may see that as a little victory, but have to improve in the second half if they are to head back to the capital with anything at all.

HALF-TIME

It's half-time at the Stadium of Light with the score at Sunderland 1 West Ham 0.

MCCLEAN DRIVE

Sunderland attack with numbers again as James McClean drives the ball into the 'corridor of uncertainty' and forces Jaaskelainen to save.

BRAMBLE OPPORTUNITY

Alou Diarra has been miles off the pace so far today and he concedes a silly free-kick deep inside his own half after pushing Stephane Sessegnon over from behind. Three Sunderland players are interested in taking it but Adam Johnson takes it and picks out Titus Bramble inside the area. Bramble gets his toe on the ball but puts it wide - he was offside, regardless.

HAMMERS STILL FLAT

It's all very slack from West Ham, despite the fact that Sunderland's level of performance has tailed off in the last ten minutes. Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has made the most saves in the Premier League this season - but he has been a virtual spectator so far this afternoon.

COLLINS INJURY

Another West Ham man struggling is James Collins who is going to have to come off after overstretching for the ball. James Tomkins is the like-for-like replacement.

NOLAN IN THE WARS

A big cheer echoes around the Stadium of Light as ex-Newcastle midfielder Kevin Nolan comes off worse in a tussle with David Vaughan. He's straight to his feet but looks a bit shaken.

BRAMBLE MEETS COLE

West Ham are still struggling but at least Joe Cole is seeing more of the ball now. He plucks a long ball out of the air with great skill but meets the uncompromising figure of Titus Bramble who slides in on the ex-Liverpool midfielder and leaves a mark.

MORE SESSEGNON MAGIC

Stephane Sessegnon is in the mood. Sprinting into West Ham's half, he glides past the statuesque James Collins with minimal effort before shooting at goal. Unfortunately, he pulls the ball wide.

WEST HAM FLAT

West Ham's dangerous attacking trio of Matt Jarvis, Joe Cole and Carlton Cole have seen hardly any of the ball in the opening 25 minutes. The visitors are so flat and passive and desperately need to get some kind of foothold in the game. Sunderland continue to dominate.

WEST HAM ATTACK

Guy Demel gets in a good position down the right before putting in an excellent cross. Jack Collison tries to get a shot away but can't find space and when Matt Jarvis finally does shoot, Simon Mignolet stops easily. That was West Ham's best attack of the game so far.

WASTEFUL COLLISON

Sebastian Larsson fouls Kevin Nolan in the air 20 yards from his own goal. Jack Collison's delivery is high and wide though. It's extremely wasteful and Sam Allardyce is looking frustrated.

NOBLE MISSING

Sebastian Larsson's first goal in 28 Premier League appearances has confirmed their early control of this match. West Ham can't match the home side's intensity at the moment and are arguably missing Mark Noble's influence and energy in central midfield.

TRADEMARK LARSSON

That is typical Sebastian Larsson. Sunderland have dominated in the last few minutes with a succession of set pieces deep in West Ham territory. The Sunderland supporters are thriving off their team's superiority and are roaring their team on. A cleared corner falls to Larsson on the edge of the box and he smashes the ball into the net.

GOOOAAALLL!!!

1-0 to Sunderland. Sebastian Larsson scores!

FLETCHER ACTION

Steven Fletcher dribbles the ball into the West Ham penalty area before using James McClean as a decoy and getting a shot in on goal. It's blocked by James Collins and goes for a corner kick.

SESSEGNON BRIGHT

Stephane Sessegnon has started the game very brightly. He has been criticised this season for going missing during games but he certainly seems up for this one and is already giving James Collins and Winston Reid headaches.

EARLY BLACK CATS CHANCES

It's been a relatively even start as both teams battle for midfield superiority. Sunderland's Adam Johnson has a volley blocked before David Vaughan's effort from the edge of the box is whipped just wide of Jaaskelainen's post.

WE'RE OFF

Referee Neil Swarbrick gets us underway at a bitterly cold Stadium of Light. Sunderland are in their traditional red and white striped shirts while West Ham also wear their home shirts of claret and blue.

CONFIRMED TEAMS

Alfred N'Diaye gets international clearance to make his Black Cats debut but has to make do with a place on the bench. New West Ham signing Marouane Chamakh also starts the game as a substitute but there's no place in the squad for Mark Noble who has a calf injury.

WEST HAM STARTING LINE-UP

Jussi Jaaskelainen; Guy Demel, Winston Reid, James Collins, Daniel Potts; Matt Jarvis, Jack Collison, Alou Diarra, Joe Cole; Kevin Nolan, Carlton Cole. Bench: Raphael Spiegel, James Tomkins, Matthew Taylor, Mohamed Diame, Gary O'Neill, Ricardo Vaz Te, Marouane Chamakh.

SUNDERLAND STARTING LINE-UP

Simon Mignolet; Craig Gardner, John O'Shea, Titus Bramble, Sebastian Larsson; Adam Johnson, Jack Colback, David Vaughan, James McClean; Stephane Sessegnon, Steven Fletcher. Bench: Kieren Westwood, Phil Bardsley, Matthew Kilgallon, Alfred N'Diaye, Fraizer Campbell, Connor Wickham, James McFadden.

REF WATCH

Neil Swarbrick will referee this afternoon's game. It will be the Lancashire-born official's eighth Premier League match of the season and he has handed out 23 yellow cards in those matches, but is yet to issue a dismissal.

JAASKELAINEN LANDMARK

The Hammers are likely to give on-loan Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh a debut at the Stadium of Light, with Andy Carroll still out and Modibo Maiga away at the African Nations Cup with Mali. Defender George McCartney is also out but Joey O'Brien could still play despite a hamstring problem. In goal, Jussi Jaaskelainen will make his 400th Premier League appearance.

POSSIBLE N'DIAYE DEBUT

Sunderland will definitely be without defensive duo Danny Rose and Carlos Cuellar who both have hamstring injuries. John O'Shea and Stephane Sessegnon might also miss out but could still make it. Wes Brown and Lee Cattermole remain longer term absentees with knee problems. The lengthy injury list means new signing Alfred N'Diaye could make his debut - but only if he receives international clearance in time.

MATCH PREVIEW

Over the years, this fixture has proved to be a tough one to call. In the last ten matches between Sunderland and West Ham at the Stadium of Light, both sides have won four times and drawn twice. Today's match is no easier to judge - the Black Cats have scored only 11 times at home this season, the third lowest tally in the league, while West Ham have found the net just five times away from Upton Park, which is the lowest total. Goals should therefore be at a premium but Sunderland's Steven Fletcher (3 in 4) and West Ham's Kevin Nolan (5 in 3) both enjoy this fixture and will be looking to capitalise today.