The Stadium of Light, for so long, was where Premier League aspirations came to die. There were fleeting moments of joy, enough to help its tenants stage a series of escapes from relegation to the Championship, but it became a venue synonymous with Sunderland’s perennial struggle.

SUNDERLAND’S brand new team was not the only thing on display on Saturday. The newly-promoted Black Cats made a dream return to the Premier League by thrashing West Ham 3-0 at the Stadium of

Sunderland made a winning start to their first Premier League campaign since 2016-17 as they deservedly beat West Ham at a raucous Stadium of Light. Eliezer Mayenda, who scored in the Championship play-off final in May,