Sunderland vs West Ham Guess the Score: needing to play for pride

Monsieur Salut introduces another prize edition of Guess the Score as Sunderland face West Ham and the world asks whether they can actually score …

Our latest defeats brought – sorry, will bring once I get round to it – prizes for Eric Bowers and Chris Boyle, both past winners.

Chris will receive a mini-edition of the Nick Barnes Matchbook, which means the publishes will pay £5 into the Bradley Lowery fund while Eric has chosen a Salut! Sunderland mug, the fiver for the same cause therefore to be paid by us.

I shall keep the same format. Be the first to guess the correct score in Saturday’s match, post your prediction before kickoff, have a UK delivery address and you win. West Ham supporters may enter, of course, and a winner from their ranks would be offered a more suitably designed mug.

As for the game, Sunderland players have a solemn duty to play for pride. Some have let themselves and the club down all season, others are simply not good enough and a few have been unlucky with injuries. Truly, only Jemain Defoe, Jordan Pickford and – in rare sightings – Victor Anichebe have covered themselves in glory, while John O’Shea – to whom belated condolences on the recent death of his father – remains a model professional.

We’re all but down but please, David Moyes, inspire your squad at least to play their hearts out for the fans and the badge.

And readers are warmly invited to come back for another fine “Who are You?”. Our guest is Pete May, author of among other works, Goodbye to Boleyn

Sample of interview:

Salut! Sunderland: Bilic, Big Sam or neither? Assess.

Pete May: in many ways Sam Allardyce saved the club through getting a first-time promotion and establishing the Irons back in the Premier League. He’s a decent manager, though emotionally the fans never took to him, particularly when he ridiculed “the West Ham way” and cupped his ear to the crowd. Bilic is much more popular and has been given much more leeway by the crowd. He had a great first season but has made a lot of mistakes this season. Poor signings and trying to convert Antonio to a right-back haven’t helped, though he’s had a lot thrown at him with the stadium move and Payet saga. Slaven seems a thoroughly decent man, so I hope he’s given a chance to turn it round next season.

Ha’way the Lads – and check out other articles at the following link to the Salut! Sunderland home page …