Sunderland v West Brom Premier League Preview: Can The Baggies Pick Up 3 Points Against The Black Cats In This Crunch Relegation Clash?

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Sunderland play, Tony Mowbray’s West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

The Black Cats go into this clash without a manager and in the relegation zone, having only won two and lost six of their last eight games in the Premier League. Caretaker manager Ricky Sbragia, will be hoping that Sunderland can pick themselves up after losing 1-0 to Manchester United last week in the dying seconds at Old Trafford. However, Sunderland will be targeting all three points to get them back on track against a West Brom side who, are also struggling.

West Brom go into this game with Sunderland, having only managed to take two points from their last nine matches, which has left the Baggies rooted to the bottom of the Premiership. The Baggies biggest problem this season has been scoring goals, with West Brom only managing to score three on their travels away from the Hawthorns in the eight Premier League games they have played, while conceding thirteen. Mowbray needs a win badly from this bottom of the table clash and will hope to take advantage of the unrest surrounding the North East club at the moment.

Sunderland will be without Darren Ward (back) and David Connolly (groin) for the visit of West Brom, but will be boosted by the return of captain Dean Whitehead, who is expected to recover from a dead leg in time for this all-important game with the Baggies.

Mowbray has been dealt a hammer blow this week, with the knee injury to Ishmael Miller, who will be out for seven months. Mowbray has preferred Miller as his lone-striker for most of the season to date, with Roman Bednar likely to take his place. Other than that the only other absentee, will be long-term injury Neil Clement, who is still ruled out with his own knee problems.

Sunderland: (from) Gordon, Bardsley, McCartney, Tainio, Nosworthy, Edwards, Malbranque, Cisse, Richardson, Diouf, Whitehead, Miller, Murphy, Collins, Jones, Leadbitter, Yorke, Reid, Chimbonda, Healy, M’Voto, Ferdinand, Hartley, Fulop, Dowson, Meyler, Henderson, Prica, Colgan

West Bromwich Albion: (from) Carson, Hoefkens, Robinson, Cech, Barnett, Koren, Greening, Bednar, Brunt, Beattie, Kim, MacDonald, Dorrans, Pele, Kiely, Teixeira, Zuiverloon, Meite, Olsson, Morrison, Valero, Donk, Worral