West Ham United v Sunderland
Boleyn Ground
Sunday 21 October
Kick-off: 4pm
Live on Sky Sports
Full audio commentary on WHUTV - where you can also see now a pre-match interview with Anton Ferdinand
Referee: Chris Foy
Team news
West Ham United welcome Sunderland on Sunday afternoon with manager Alan Curbishley hopeful of having Craig Bellamy back to lead the home attack.
The Wales captain has shown no ill-effects of recent groin surgery with two full games for his country during the international break and is set to feature for the first time since going off injured in the 3-0 win against Middlesbrough on 15 September. He will be up against a Sunderland team that has not kept a clean sheet since the opening day of the league season.
Curbishley could also recall Mark Noble, after he was rested for the 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa a fortnight ago. George McCartney should figure at left-back against the club where he spent eight years before moving to the Boleyn Ground just over a year ago. Kieron Dyer and Julien Faubert both remain on the long-term injury list.
The loss at Villa Park was also notable for the knee injury picked up by Dean Ashton. The striker will be missing on Sunday but Henri Camara and Carlton Cole will both fancy their chances of starting alongside Bellamy. Elsewhere, the club will monitor the progress of Freddie Ljungberg, who picked up a knock on duty with Sweden.
Sunderland are without defender Paul McShane as he serves the first game of a three-match suspension - which could mean an opportunity for Essex native Greg Halford - while Russell Anderson, Dean Whitehead, Carlos Edwards and Andrew Cole are all sidelineed. David Connolly will hope to feature against the club where he scored 14 goals in 48 appearances during the 2003/04 season.
Background
West Ham will know the advantage of taking an early lead as the club have won all three Premier League games this season when they have opened the scoring, along with both Carling Cup matches. While the club have lost their last three league outings, Sunderland have won just once in their last nine matches in all competitions.
Only Robert Green and Matthew Upson have played every minute of the club's eight Premier League matches this season, while only Craig Gordon has done the same for the visitors with their nine fixtures. Sunderland are 16th in the 20-team table, five places and two points behind their hosts having played a game more.
Club information
Tickets for this fixture are SOLD OUT. For information on getting to the Boleyn Ground, click here and for up to date information on travelling to the game by public transport, click here.