However, it was a return that lasted just 53 minutes, the unlucky Dutch defender landing heavily after a towering defensive header. It was a sliding doors moment because his replacement, debutant Omar Alderete, was the player to finally expose the weakness identified in the Hammers' defence.

Sunderland is playing its first English Premier League match in eight years, hosting West Ham in an intriguing opening weekend matchup. Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services for watching Premier League games as they happen, wherever you are in the world, and how to use a VPN if it's not available where you are.

Sunderland hosted West Ham at the Stadium of Light this Saturday for the opening matchday of the 2025-26 Premier League season. The Black Cats came into this ma