Sunderland ‘to break the trend’ as ‘concerning’ announcement made ahead of West Ham clash
Sunderland will mark their long-awaited Premier League return with a clash against West Ham this Saturday.
Regis Le Bris will take charge of his first-ever Premier League game, and Sunderland’s first in eight years, when the Black Cats host West Ham at the Stadium of Light.
The summer in the build-up to this game has been one of change, with 10 new arrivals checking in at the Stadium of Light, and more to follow.
However, an announcement was made ahead of the clash with the Irons will serve as motivation for the Black Cats to break the first of many trends this season.
Robert Jones set to take charge of Sunderland vs West Ham
The Premier League have announced which officials will be taking charge of which games this weekend, and Robert Jones is the man appointed for the clash at the Stadium of Light.
Jones has officiated over 200 games in his career, though only seven of those have involved Sunderland, and there is a clear trend.
The Black Cats have won just once when Jones has been in charge, and that was back in 2017 when Sunderland secured a 1-0 victory against Bury FC in the EFL Cup.
- 1 win
- 1 draw
- 5 defeats
Five defeats and a draw have followed that result, with the latest ending in a 2-2 draw away to Watford when Luke O’Nien and Dennis Cirkin were on the scoresheet – a concerning trend.
Sunderland will therefore be looking to secure their first win in eight years when Jones is in charge.
Sunderland need to get off to a winning start
Sunderland’s opening fixtures are about as encouraging as they could be, with the home clash against the Irons followed by an away trip to Burnley.
If the Black Cats are to survive in the Premier League, they need to get off to a good start and pick up as many points as possible in these types of encounters.
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