All looked lost for Nuno Espirito Santo’s increasingly beleaguered side less than two weeks ago when they slipped seven points adrift of safety.

But they backed up last weekend’s welcome win at Tottenham as goals from Crysencio Summerville, Jarrod Bowen and Mateus Fernandes moved them to within just two points of 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.

There is a reasonable chance it could stay that way as well, with Forest facing a tricky trip to Brentford on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the rescue effort is continuing behind the scenes, with Argentinian midfielder Guido Rodriguez missing from the squad ahead of a move to Valencia and Fulham winger Adama Traore close to joining.

Lucas Paqueta was absent again amid the ongoing uncertainty surrounding his future, but there was an appearance on the bench for the lesser-spotted James Ward-Prowse, having previously been frozen out by Nuno.

Sunderland, meanwhile, were missing inspirational captain Granit Xhaka due to an ankle injury, and it showed.

They did threaten first after just 90 seconds when Hammers keeper Alphonse Areola had to tip away a fierce, rising drive from Noah Sadiki.

But it was West Ham who took the lead in the 14th minute when Bowen beat Reinildo Mandava down the right and stood up an inviting cross.

Summerville, among the shortest players on the pitch, leapt above Nordi Mukiele to head home his third goal in as many matches.

Pity the few hundred West Ham fans who stayed away for the first 15 minutes, the latest in a series of protests against the club’s owners, and managed to miss the goal.

They did see the second, however, after Ollie Scarles was clumsily tripped in the penalty area by Trai Hume and Bowen tucked away the spot-kick for his first goal of 2026.

And they were rubbing their eyes in disbelief shortly before half-time when a Taty Castellanos shot was charged down and the ball came out to Fernandes, 30 yards out, with the former Southampton midfielder curling a superb effort into the top corner.

Sunderland, whose recent away form has tempered their otherwise excellent return to the top flight, did pull one back in the second half when Brian Brobbey headed in Mukiele’s cross, robbing Nuno of a first clean sheet since taking over in September.

The closing moments saw Sunderland’s Luke O’Nien hit the woodwork, Xhaka seemingly get involved in a row with a West Ham fan from the bench and Tomas Soucek have a scruffy fourth goal disallowed.

But nothing could take the shine off a second straight win for West Ham and the glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, they are not finished yet.