West Ham made light of a modest recent scoring record – and the absence of leading marksman Carlton Cole through injury – to further their European ambitions with this victory.

Junior Stanislas marked his first senior start by breaking the deadlock and James Tomkins also delivered his first for the club to increase Sunderland's relegation worries.

Sunderland's last six games have yielded just two points and they are now knee-deep in trouble. They played with plenty of confidence for much of the first half against a side with just four goals from their last seven league matches. But once the home side were in front they rarely looked back.

Sunderland had Craig Gordon playing his first Premier League game for four months after an impressive performance for Scotland in a midweek World Cup qualifier against Iceland. The £9m goalkeeper, who lost his place to Marton Fulop, had to contend with two early corners, but for most of the first half had little to do.

Robert Green was the busier keeper, turning aside a shot from Grant Leadbitter and diverting one from Djibril Cissé for a corner. But after Stanislas almost went through on the end of David Di Michele's pass, the 19-year-old midfielder was in the right place at the right time to mark a memorable afternoon.

Green's clearance was worked out to Luis Boa Morte on the left flank and he held the ball up well before spotting Stanislas, who touched the resulting low cross into an empty net.

Gordon was beaten again early in the second half and again West Ham's scorer had particular cause to celebrate, central defender Tomkins heading home a corner from Mark Noble.

Sunderland brought on Kenwyne Jones to play alongside Cissé up front, but were under further pressure from another Noble corner and another Tomkins header. This time Gordon was equal to it.

The mood around Upton Park quietened after an injury to Jonathan Spector, who was taken off on a stretcher after lengthy attention and replaced by James Collins.