An opening goal of the night for Andy Carroll after only 9 minutes proved the catalyst for the Hammers to produce some good attacking football as they condemned Sunderland to probable relegation.
Carroll rose highest to power Mark Noble’s corner home and then turned provider just after the break as Mohammad Diame converted from Carroll’s knockdown.
Sunderland did make a valiant effort to come back into the game. Substitute Adam Johnson smashed home a fine effort after some neat trickery outside the Hammers box, but it was never going to be enough to trouble the Hammers as they calmly saw out the rest of the game to take the three points back to East London.