Tommy Martin: Delirium or doom, the return of Sunderland can keep us awake

The return of the Black Cats brings the kind of passionate intensity the Premier League needs

Sunderland striker Eliezer Mayenda (C) celebrates in front of their fans after scoring the opening goal during the Premier League win over West Ham United at The Stadium of Light Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images 

Something felt a little different on the Beeb on Saturday evening as Match of the Day stretched its legs for the new season.

It wasn’t the presence of a new man at the helm in Mark Chapman, part of the triumvirate tasked with taking us through life after Gary Lineker. Chappers couldn’t be a safer pair of hands were he holding his production notes in Gianluigi Donnarumma’s goalkeeping gloves.