Скачать или смотреть West Ham 3 Sunderland 1: Hammers run riot in first half as Nuno’s men secure crucial win in relegati

AFTER months of despair East London has been hit with a sudden outbreak of hope.

Seemingly out of nowhere West Ham have discovered a backbone and blew away Sunderland to give themselves a fighting chance in a relegation battle which had felt almost over not too long ago.

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West Ham’s first-half blitz saw them beat SunderlandCredit: Reuters

Crysencio Summerville got them going with a thumping headerCredit: Getty

They are now breathing down the necks of Nottingham Forest, two points ahead before facing Brentford on Sunday.

A frenzied first half from the hosts saw Crysencio Summerville, Jarrod Bowen and Mateus Fernandes all strike to lift a low London Stadium.

Brian Brobbey’s second-half header brought nerves back to Stratford and ensured the Hammers’ wait for a first clean sheet under Nuno Espirito Santo went on, but this was their day.

Spirits were already lifted by last week’s late derby win at Tottenham – though no one was in any doubt that there was a huge job still to do.

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The hero at Tottenham, Callum Wilson, was left on the bench where he was joined by James Ward-Prowse, named in a squad for the first time under Nuno having been inexplicably frozen out since his arrival.

Lucas Paqueta remained absent.

Sunderland were without Granit Xhaka, who had travelled but missed out with an ankle issue, and the Swiss was desperately missed.

Their early season form means there should be little concern over falling into any relegation trouble – but the Black Cats look a mile from the side which claimed scalps from Chelsea and Newcastle.

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A first half of the likes Hammers fans have not witnessed here in some years left the usually dismayed home support jubilant, if a little baffled.

Sunderland forged the first chance, with Noah Sadiki seeing a volley tipped over the bar – but from there it was all West Ham.

A small section of fans were keeping up their protests, staying away for the first 15 minutes and they walked in to find their side already ahead.

West Ham’s January search for a winger to replace Crysencio Summerville seems to have awoken the Dutch winger.

The former Leeds man had just one goal for the club until a fortnight ago – but struck his third in as many games to open the scoring here.

Bowen drove past Reinildo Mandava and clipped into the box, where Summerville slipped ahead of Nordi Mukiele to power a header home.

Having looked so timid all season, West Ham were battling across the pitch – and largely winning, attacking with pace that Sunderland could not handle.

Young left-back Ollie Scarles had kept his place in the side despite the return of Afcon winner Malick Diouf.

The academy graduate drove down the left and cut into the box past Trai Hume, who clipped the full-back.

Referee Thomas Bramall pointed to the spot.

While on second vie