Sunday's Premier League round-up:Jordan Henderson's first goal of the season sent West Ham back to the foot of the Premier League table as Sunderland ended their recent revival with a 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light.
The 20-year-old England international struck 11 minutes before the break to give his side an advantage they refused to surrender despite second half pressure from the visitors.
Victor Obinna came closest to snatching a point with a 79th-minute effort which hit the outside of the post, but the Black Cats were good value for a victory which left them in seventh place.
Manager Steve Bruce has spent much of the season to date pleading with his midfielders to help out strikers Darren Bent and Asamoah Gyan on the goals front, and Henderson’s contribution will have been as welcome to him as it was to the bulk of a crowd of 36,940 on a bitterly cold Wearside afternoon.
Sunderland’s victory pushed West Brom back down to eighth in the table after the Baggies earlier claimed a morale-boosting 3-1 win over Newcastle at the Hawthorns.
Two goals from Peter Odemwingie added to Somen Tchoyi’s opener earned them a first league win over Newcastle for 26 years.
Tchoyi’s first goal gave the Baggies a deserved half-time lead after they dominated the opening 45 minutes.
Then Odemwingie wrapped up the points with his fifth goal of the campaign and another in the closing seconds to take his side past the 20-point mark before Peter Lovenkrands’ last-gasp reply.
It sealed back to back league wins for Roberto Di Matteo’s side after a slump in fortunes in November and their first over the Geordies in 18 attempts.
Newcastle could have no complaints about the outcome with Chris Brunt sparkling in a central midfield role and Odemwingie causing constant problems.
Andy Carroll hardly had a look-in and Newcastle’s mini revival after the break was too little, too late.