New faces but familiar heroes on proud day for Sunderland

Wilson Isidor put the seal on a magnificent Sunderland performance in second-half stoppage time

The 2025-26 Premier League season is barely a game old but, for Sunderland fans, the embryonic table merits more than just a cursory glance.

Tipped by many to make a swift return to the Championship, Regis Le Bris team confounded the pre-season doom-mongers with a magnificent display against West Ham to start their first top-flight campaign since 2016-17 in style.

After keeping Graham Potters side at bay in the first half, the Black Cats found their claws in the second as headers from Eliezer Mayenda and Dan Ballard gave them a comfortable two-goal cushion before Wilson Isidor put the icing on a flawless second-half display in added time.

The final whistle sparked jubilant celebrations among the home supporters, who had gone nearly 13 years without seeing their team win a match in the opening two months of a top-flight season, since a 1-0 triumph over Wigan Athletic in September 2012.

You have to go even further back for Sunderlands last Premier League win in the month of August - a 1-0 victory over Manchester City in 2010.

"Im delighted," Ballard told BBC Sport afterwards. "What a great start to life back in the Premier League. It could not have gone any better today.

"Im delighted for the fans, because theyve had some tough times before. Its really nice when you can give back to them."

Former England international - and Sunderland fan - Steph Houghton told Final Score: "This win means absolutely everything to the city and everybody associated with the club, especially when you consider the journey that we have been on.

"We went down to League One. Its well documented that the club probably hit rock bottom, but now were finally back in the Premier League. Its a very proud day for everybody connected to the club."

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New captain Xhaka set the tone for Sunderland win - Le Bris

After eight years in the wilderness of the Championship and League One, Sunderland have spent big in an attempt to keep their heads above water this season.

They have splurged about £132m on new signings - Nottingham Forest hold the record for the biggest outlay by a team promoted to the Premier League, with the approximate £142m they spent bringing in 21 players in the summer of 2022.

Nordi Mukieles impending arrival is set to increase the number of new faces on Wearside to 12.

The defender was rumoured to be at Saturdays game before a reported £9.5m move from Paris St-Germain. If he was among the crowd, the former Leverkusen and Leipzig player will have enjoyed what he saw.

Against West Ham, the tenacity and composure of veteran Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka allowed his team-mates to flourish, with former Strasbourg captain Habib Diarras skill and close control in the final third causing the Hammers all sorts of problems.

Noah Sadiki, another summer arrival from Belgium, completes a potent midfield trio which - on this evidence - looks more than capable of keeping the Black Cats afloat.

Goalkeeper Robin Roefs also enjoyed an outstanding debut, making a fine stop from Jarrod Bowen in the first half before preserving his clean sheet late on by tipping Isidors attempted clearance over the crossbar.

And yet, for all the talk of new arrivals, it was three of Sunderlands Championship play-off heroes who grabbed the headlines.

Mayenda netted Sunderlands opener in the Championship play-off final in May, while Ballard - who denied West Hams El Hadji Malick Diouf in the first half with a superb last-ditch clearance - rescued the Black Cats from semi-final heartache against Coventry.

Isidor - a second-half substitute on Saturday - was also on target against the Sky Blues, opening the scoring before a late Mayenda strike sealed a 2-1 win.

"The players they have got, and the players they have signed, makes me think Sunderland will stay up," said former Black Cats midfielder Don Hutchinson on Premier League Kick-Off. "I think Xhaka is going to be a real leader."

Former Sunderland defender Gary Bennett told BBC Radio Newcastle: "We have to remember the giant strides we have made.

"The big question was, after signing all those players: would they gel together as a team? Today they answered that question."

Last season, we had to wait until 5 October for any of the three promoted clubs - Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton - to get their first victory.

Recent history suggests a fast start is crucial for promoted top-flight sides. In the past 10 seasons, all 12 promoted clubs who have accrued 11 points or more in their opening 10 games have avoided relegation.

By contrast, only two of the 18 teams with 10 or fewer points after the same number of matches have stayed up.

Burnley were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Thomas Franks Tottenham on Saturday afternoon, while Leeds - who welcome Everton to Elland Road on Monday - have their work cut out to match Sunderlands memorable opening-day triumph.

With games coming up against the newly promoted Clarets, and a Brentford side in transition following Franks departure, Le Bris and his players will fancy their chances of building on their phenomenal start.

"Weve got to look to go to Burnley and try and win the game," said Houghton. "Well definitely be going into the match full of confidence.

"Le Bris has built a young squad with lots of pace, especially in forward areas. When you create those chances you have to take them and thats exactly what they did.

"The Sunderland fans always make plenty of noise and hopefully they can make Turf Moor feel like the Stadium of Light next weekend."