West Ham United-Sunderland Preview

Oct 29, 2009 - 6:10 PM GEOFF McALLISTER STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - West Ham fan Anton Ferdinand aims to inflict more misery on the team he supports when Sunderland take on the Hammers at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Ferdinand was sold by hard-up West Ham to Sunderland in the summer of 2008 for 4.8 million pounds to ease the club's crippling debts.

But after 16 months in the North East, Ferdinand remains loyal to the club he joined as a nine-year-old and still follows from afar.

Ferdinand said: "West Ham is like a second family to me even now. But the club has changed massively even in the short time since I left.

"I was sad when they told me I had to go because they needed the money. I was happy to stay.

"I hope they sort out their problems and manage to stay up. They deserve nothing less.

"But I want nothing less than a Sunderland win. We have not beaten West Ham since I left.

"Sunderland is my club now and I want us to win badly. I still want West Ham to win every other game but there are no divided loyalties."

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is sweating on the fitness of 17 million pounds striker Darren Bent who has been a big hit on Wearside side his signing from Tottenham.

Bent sustained a knee injury in the defeat at Birmingham and missed the League Cup setback in midweek when Aston Villa went through to the quarter finals on penalties.

Bruce said: "Bent should be fit. His injury was a worry earlier in the week but it is improving each day and I expect him to face West Ham.

"This is a big game for us after losing to Birmingham and Villa. We were not at our best at Birmingham but I felt we matched Villa and it was disappointing to go out on penalties."

Sunderland will be without long-term injury victim Lee Cattermole but John Mensah, George McCartney, Bolo Zenden, Fraizer Campbell and Phil Bardsley are returning to full fitness.

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is coming under pressure as his team toil in the relegation zone and not even a decent 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday after being goals down could left the gloom over Upton Park.

Zola has already had to sell key players and more are likely to follow in January as West Ham seek to overcome their financial problems.

The Hammers boss said: "I believe we have been playing very well but have not got the results we have deserved.

"We showed great character in coming back from 2-0 down against Arsenal to get a draw but I know we need to win some games soon."

Zola is concerned that he may lose England internationals Robert Green, Matthew Upson and Carlton Cole when the transfer window opens and will have little cash with which to replace them.