Sunderland travel to the Hawthorns to face West Brom in the Championship. Last time out Sunderland drew with Huddersfield and West Brom won at Blackpool. Tony Mowbray’s Sunderland drew 1-1 against Neil Warnocks Huddersfield Town and moved up to 8th position in the table, 2 points off a play-off place. (Before Saturday’s games). Danny Batth suffered a knee injury during Tuesday’s game and the centre-back will miss the remainder of the campaign. Joffy Gelhardt has an ankle injury but should play part of the game. Dennis Cirkin is back from suspension and Edouard Michut has trained after suffering from a back injury against Birmingham and should play. West Brom host former Baggies boss Tony Mowbray's Sunderland on Sunday, then face a rearranged game with Sheffield United next Wednesday night. Albion are in 7th place with 63 points, just 1 point ahead of the Black Cats but with a game in hand. Baggies fans have shelved another protest against owner Guochuan Lai in a bid to be "together" for the final four Championship games. Fans' group Action For Albion are adamant they are only pausing their season-long battle against Lai. Tony Mowbray: "We didn't get to the levels we needed to get to. We had to try and play through them and it's pretty dangerous. If you turn the ball over you're in trouble and we were trying to be mindful of that. "They make life difficult for you. At times it was a bit scrappy and we didn't have men in forward areas. "We're frustrated with the goal we lost. The guy stays on the ball for too long, he travels 30 or 40 yards and whacks it in the top corner and somebody's got to tackle him. "If you're going to be a team that genuinely challenges, you have to find consistency, and I think we fell a bit short tonight." "We've got the situation with Luke O'Nien and his wife, the birth hasn't happened yet so we have to hope that that doesn't create an extra problem for us. "We're trying to put some contingency plans in place - we were thinking 'helicopter' to be honest, but I don't think we will be doing that. I certainly won't be paying for it! "The U18 are playing a massive game at Manchester City and we're going to bring a couple of them down after they have played against Man City. "They'll come over to our hotel and be in the squad, just in case." Carlos Corberan: "It was a very combative game. They are fighting to survive and we knew that this was one of the last opportunities they would have and it would be very demanding. "We had to play with a lot of concentration. Blackpool started very well in the game. But after their opportunities I thought we managed the game with maturity. "We tried to press and found a way to create attacks and create opportunities with set-pieces. "We had to manage the game to get the three points. We controlled the game better in the second-half. We showed a lot of maturity to get all three points. When we play like this the fans are proud. We have to concentrate now in those final games." Form: Match Appointments: Referee: JOHN BUSBY Assistant Referees: Matthew McGrath and George Byrne Fourth Official: James Linington Team Lineups: Sunderland AFC: (4-2-3-1) Patterson, Cirkin, O’Nien, Hume, Gooch, Neil, Michut, Clarke, Amad, Roberts, Gelhardt. Subs: Bass, Taylor, Ekwah, Ba, Pritchard, Lihadji, Anderson. Injured: Embleton, Stewart, Evans, Ballard, Alese, Baath, Bennette, Huggins, Rigg West Brom (4-2-3-1) Palmer, Furlong, Ajayi, Pieters, Townsend, Molumby, Chalobah, J Wallace, Swift, Grant, Thomas-Asante Subs: Rogic, Livermore, Albrighton, Gardner-Hickman, Malcolm, Griffiths, Faal Injured: Reach, O’Shea, Bartley, Dike, Yokuslu, Phillips Betting Odds: Sunderland 3/1 West Brom 10/11 Draw 5/2 Prutton Predicts: 1-1 My two pence: A bit of disappointing result against Huddersfield, given the other results on Wednesday but we move onto the next one. West Brom are a decent side and haven't lost at home since last October - until now. An away win today would put the lads into that last playoff position with 2 games left. I’m going for a 2-1 away win – and the travelling fans go wild Live Stream: Live on Sky Sports Football Ha’way the Lads
Get an early goal and then Reinact the Alamo, give it all we’ve got as we’ve no real pressure with our growing injury list. Be proud when you walk off after the final whistle that you’ve given your all as that’s all we as fans ever ask of this team. For those going enjoy the experience and shout the lads onto victory HTL
I’m pleased Dike is out for them. He was big presence and caused us a lot of problems. Bravo and thanks, RTB.
Me too, especially with the Batth injury. We almost always find a way to score and goals win games ... ... another Norwich for me, 1-0 and great for the travelling fans. Ha’way!!!!!
I'll go for a hard earned 1-1 with a worldy from Amad. Would be ****ing amazing if we nicked it though.
Keep these threads up mate. Only 5 more to do I like your team. It almost picks itself doesnt it now. Would like to see Zac Johnson on the bench. I would be tempted to drop to a 433 and bring Ekwah in instead of Roberts. I have felt Roberts has been a bit below par recently. And with the defence as it is maybe just a bit more height is needed on set pieces, and a bit more cover in the midfield. I doubt Tony will do that though, might as well go out on our shield next 3 games. Either way I fancy Amad and Clarke to be flying these next 3 games and Gelhardt to score in each game, after his great goal last time out. I am there for this one, short trip for me, and I already warming up the vocal chords. Haway the lads.
I really hope that there are 5 more to do. That was my first draft team with Ekwah in for his height in defence. We will miss Batth.
The ability to bring on Pritch, Roberts & Ba is good ammo to have. A rest for a Pritch & Roberts not a bad job shot after Wednesday, so they play to their positions / strengths when they come on. Ekwah in the middle please for some physicality against this lot.
Great thread again @RTB I think....we will have one of those special unexpected days where the lads will surprise us all and tonk the opposition I won't give my predicted scoreline but I will say we shall have a happy Sunday Haw'aaaaaaaaaaay
Have to 3 at the back for me. 09 as the central pin. If he isn't an option, then it has to be Anderson. Ekwah has to start too.
Absloute massive blow loosing Batth, will make things increadibly difficult as hes up there for player of the season in my eyes You never know with Sunderland, im less confident now...but these young players have nowt to loose....& this run of 3 games will help them grow...sure they will relish the chance. If, if TM can patch that already patched up defence...hoping...then im looking at it like this, we threw points away Tuesday...we would have been in top 6...but i think way results went & us sitting in there nicely...might have put more pressure on these young players, as were still outside...maybe this lifts the pressure on this young group to think of it like we have an outside chance nothing to loose, relax go for it. i think the plus point is West Brom need a win, if we can sort out being tight, as we struggle without an focal point up front, games almost perfect for a counter attacking side with pace to catch a team on the break...thats what we are & thats why we have done so well away....exciting couple of weeks ahead...feels great (in last year) compared to what we have endured since leaving the PL....KTF
Yeah. Only way there is sufficient protection with wing backs helping and hopefully we can spring out on the break.
It's been a tough, long, hard season for these young lads. No established strikers for majority of the campaign, first choice central defence constantly disrupted due to injuries, trying to bed in new players and youth team players into first team in a highly competitive league and having a change in manager after only a few games of the season. For me they have stood tall and proud and played with passion and commitment they have me felling proud to be a supporter again when I can go to work and talk positively about my club. When I heard about DB I was initially quite negative but after collecting my thoughts I realised we have faced a whole season of this, not just injuries but some very poor refereeing to go with it. But we faced it all with kids who held their heads high and stared at adversity and got on with the job, so I hope for a win because they do not deserve for this season to just dwindle away for them but I believe that next season we will be better and still have a young squad with experience that is ready to step forward and be counted wherever we are playing. HWTL
