The Hawthorns

Sunday 23rd April 2023 - 12:00
West Brom
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Sunderland
Stream on WBA TV
Key Events

Jayson Molumby, John Swift and Jed Wallace celebrate together after a Swift goal

West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland go head-to-head on Sunday lunchtime in what is a crucial clash between two sides chasing a Sky Bet Championship Play-Off spot (ko 12pm).

The Baggies recorded vital victories on the road at Stoke City and then Blackpool recently to fire themselves right back into top-six contention. 

Sunderland stuttered to a 1-1 draw at home to Huddersfield Town on the same night Carlos Corberán's men defeated the Seasiders at Bloomfield Road, however the Black Cats will be thrilled to still be in with a shot of the Play-Offs given it's their first season back in the second tier. 

Albion came from behind to win the reverse fixture 2-1 on a freezing night in December, with Daryl Dike and Tom Rogic on target after Amad Diallo's penalty.

Daryl Dike's first Albion goal came against the Black Cats back in December

Follow the game live

Supporters inside and outside the United Kingdom can listen to live commentary of Sunday's showdown on WBA Radio. 

Commentators John Dunn and Andy Johnson will provide kick-by-kick coverage from The Hawthorns from 11.50am. 

Audio passes are available here for £2.50.

The game will not be able to view on WBA TV owing to broadcasting rights. 

Regular updates will also be posted across the club's social media channels throughout the day.

WBA TV Matchday

Our opponents

Sunderland will be delighted with how their first season back in the second tier of English football has gone after winning promotion via the Sky Bet League One Play-Offs in 2021/22. 

The Black Cats, who spent four years in League One, are in the top-six mix and are dreaming of returning to the Premier League after a six-year absence. 

They've picked up 16 victories so far this term and have scored a very healthy 61 goals, a record bettered only by Burnley, Sheffield United and Middlesbrough going into the latest weekend of action.

Sunderland head to The Hawthorns for the first time since January 2017 on the back of a six-game unbeaten run (W2, D4), though they'll have been disappointed to have been pegged back by Huddersfield Town on Tuesday night, with the Terriers taking away a very valuable point from the Stadium of Light in their battle to beat the drop.

Sunday's visitors are managed by a man who'll always receive a warm reception in B71. Tony Mowbray, appointed Black Cats boss in August 2022, led the Baggies to the Championship title in 2007/08. He's won 15, drawn 13 and lost 12 of the 40 matches he's taken charge of up in the North East. 

Sunderland have enjoyed a largely successful first season back in the second tier

From the Albion Archive

Albion produced a dominant display against Sunderland in the Premier League at The Hawthorns in September 2013. 

Stephane Sessegnon, Liam Ridgewell and Morgan Amalfitano were all on target on that particular afternoon a decade ago. 

You can watch the highlights below.

One for the stattos

Albion have the chance to extend their unbeaten home run to 14 matches in all competitions on Sunday lunchtime. 

The Baggies have won 11 of those 14 games, but they've been held to back-to-back draws in their two most recent fixtures in B71 by Millwall and QPR.

The hosts also have a strong recent record in front of their own supporters against Sunderland. 

Albion are eight unbeaten at home, winning seven of those clashes with the Black Cats. The last Sunderland victory at The Hawthorns was a 2-1 triumph back in March 2007 in a second-tier encounter. 

Goals from Darren Fletcher and Chris Brunt helped Albion to a 2-0 win against Sunderland at The Hawthorns in January 2017

Ticket details

Tickets remain on general sale for Albion's penultimate home league match of the season.

Click here to secure your seat for Sunderland's visit on Sunday.

A ticket graphic for Albion's game against Sunderland

An image of John Swift scoring a penalty against Sunderland

Sunderland came from behind to beat Albion 1-2 at The Hawthorns on Sunday afternoon.

John Swift’s spot-kick during first-half stoppage time had put the Baggies ahead, but a Dennis Cirkin brace in the second period earned Tony Mowbray’s team all three Sky Bet Championship points.

Carlos Corberán’s men have a chance to bounce back this Wednesday when they travel to Sheffield United.

The boss made one change to his XI, replacing the injured Nathaniel Chalobah with Okay Yokuslu.

And Albion tried to make a fast start within a rousing Hawthorns atmosphere – Jayson Molumby in the thick of it, seeing a venomous low shot blocked and having an early penalty shout waved away.

It was the Irishman who rescued the Baggies down the other end, too, brilliantly diverting Joe Gelhardt’s volley over the crossbar after Sunderland had seen out the early pressure and begun creating chances of their own.

Alex Palmer was then forced into action twice, first to deny Amad Diallo when the forward was through on goal, before spectacularly tipping Jack Clarke’s curling effort past the post.

Yet as half-time approached Albion managed to navigate that tricky period and earn a penalty – Swift getting brought down by Luke O’Nien in the box.

The attacking midfielder dusted himself down, stepped up and smashed the ball straight down the middle to hand the hosts a half-time lead.

An image of Albion's players celebrating John Swift's goal against Sunderland

The Baggies could – and probably should – have doubled their advantage straight after the interval, the Sunderland defence standing firm despite successive shots from Molumby, Karlan Grant, Conor Townsend and Darnell Furlong.

And they were soon made to rue those misses, Cirkin guiding in Lynden Gooch’s cross to hand the Black Cats an equaliser.

Albion attempted to bounce straight back and would have nabbed a second had Anthony Patterson not kept out Wallace’s poke and a Townsend header.

It looked like the hosts found their winner 10 minutes from time, Yokuslu excellently converting a volley only to see the assistant referee flagging to indicate the ball had gone out of play beforehand.

Instead, Sunderland found the third and final goal of a pulsating clash to steal the victory, Cirkin finishing well inside the area to leave them jubilant and, sadly, Albion empty-handed.

Albion: Palmer; Furlong, Ajayi, Pieters (Bartley 90), Townsend; Yokuslu (Gardner-Hickman 85), Molumby (Rogic 90); Wallace, Swift (Faal 90), Grant (Albrighton 83); Thomas-Asante.

Substitutes: Griffiths, Livermore.

Attendance: 24,764