Graham Potter Focuses On Building A Strong Team At West Ham Ahead Of Premier League Season Opener

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Graham Potter is focused on building a strong foundation at West Ham United after a challenging start. He took over from Julen Lopetegui in January but initially struggled, winning only one of his first six matches. Despite this, Potter led the team to a 14th-place finish, securing crucial away victories against Manchester United and Ipswich Town.

Potter emphasised that his players are the main priority as they prepare for their Premier League opener against Sunderland. "The coach's job is to build something," said Potter. "You've got to try and improve your team, improve the club, improve the players. That's the trick." He believes that significant changes aren't necessary and that focusing on existing players is key.

Reflecting on the past year, Potter noted that West Ham conceded many goals, suggesting deeper issues within the team's culture or foundation. He acknowledged progress made last season and sees pre-season as an opportunity for further improvement. "We did make some progress but pre-season gives you a chance to make more of an inroad," he added.

Sunderland is returning to the Premier League this Saturday after being absent since 2016-17. The Black Cats have been active in the transfer market, bringing in 11 new players, including Granit Xhaka, Simon Adingra, and Reinildo Mandava. Head coach Regis Le Bris acknowledges it will take time for these players to gel with the squad.

Le Bris remains optimistic despite winning only two of their eight pre-season games. "We need time but at the same time we don't have time," he stated. "Performances are needed." He believes their positive energy and determination will be crucial in facing upcoming challenges.

For Sunderland, Wilson Isidor stands out as a key player. He was their top scorer in the Championship last season with 13 goals and recently returned from injury to play in their final friendly match against Rayo Vallecano. Meanwhile, Jarrod Bowen continues to be a vital player for West Ham.

Bowen scored 13 times in 34 league games last season and provided eight assists. He also found the net in each of his last four Premier League appearances in 2024-25. Bowen aims to become the first West Ham player since Jesse Lingard in April 2021 to score in five consecutive matches.

Match Prediction: West Ham Favoured

Historically, Sunderland has struggled against West Ham, failing to win any of their last eight league encounters (D4 L4). Their record on Premier League opening days isn't promising either, with no wins in their last seven seasons (D4 L3). Le Bris will be the ninth French manager in Premier League history; only two of his predecessors won their debut matches.

West Ham has fared well against newly-promoted teams on opening days, winning each of their last three such matches (against Barnsley in 1997-98, Wolves in 2009-10, and Cardiff City in 2013-14). However, they have lost more opening matches than any other side (16) and conceded more MD1 goals (50).

The OPTA win probability suggests West Ham has a 43.3% chance of victory compared to Sunderland's 30.3%, with a draw at 26.4%.