Newly promoted Sunderland would love nothing more than to kick off the 2025-26 season with a win over West Ham and mark the joyous return of Premier League football to the Stadium of Light on Saturday (10 am ET).

WATCH -- Sunderland vs West Ham

Sunderland spent a decade in the Premier League from 2007 to 2017 before quickly falling into turmoil and, before you know it, the Black Cats spent nearly a decade trying to earn their way back. They spent four seasons in League One after suffering back-to-back relegations in 2017 and 2018, and were genuine surprise promotion candidates last season after finishing 16th a year prior. Less than three months after beating Sheffield United in the playoff final, Sunderland have spent just shy of $200 million for eight players, including former Arsenal captain (and new Sunderland skipper) Granit Xhaka for $23 million, central midfielder Habib Diarra ($40 million) from Strasbourg, winger Simon Adingra ($28 million) from Brighton and winger Chemsdine Talbi ($26 million) from Club Brugge. If you simply spend like a Premier League club, does that make you a Premier League club? We're going to find out.

Heading into the summer transfer window, you could have made a fantastic argument that the Premier League side in most desperate need of a full-on rebuild was West Ham. The counter-point is that the Hammers have undergone so much change in recent seasons that less explosive modifications would better serve Graham Potter's needs, and that appears to be the route they have gone. After finishing 14th, scoring just 46 goals and conceding 62 (bottom-6 in the PL in both), West Ham have made Jean-Clair Todibo's loan a permanent move, and added goalkeeper Mads Hermansen from relegated Leicester for $27 million, 20-year-old Senegalese wing back El Hadji Malick Diouf from Slavia Prague ($25 million) and Kyle Walker-Peters and Callum Wilson on free transfers.

For live updates and highlights throughout Sunderland vs West Ham, check out PST's live blog coverage below.

Kick off time: 10 am ET, Saturday

Venue: Stadium of Light -- Sunderland

TV Channel: Peacock

Streaming: Stream live on Peacock

OUT: Dennis Cirkin (wrist), Romaine Mundle (thigh), Leo Fuhr Hjelde (achilles), Aji Alese (shoulder) | QUESTIONABLE: Marc Guiu (undisclosed), Omar Alderete (undisclosed), Luke O'Nien (shoulder)

OUT: Crysencio Summerville (thigh)

Only time will tell if Sunderland have a fairytale ending in May, but they're going to ride the wave of momentum to a storybook start and a moment for supporters to remember for a long, long time. Sunderland 3-1 West Ham.