Stats and info for Saturday's trip to the Stadium of Light (ko 12.45pm)
All-time results record (League, FA Cup and League Cup)| PLD | W | D | L | F | A | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOME | 73 | 37 | 18 | 18 | 138 | 100 | 38 |
| AWAY | 73 | 13 | 22 | 38 | 76 | 154 | -78 |
| NEUTRAL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 146 | 50 | 40 | 56 | 214 | 254 | -40 |
Peter Odemwingie scored his first-ever Albion goal on his debut in a 1-0 win over Sunderland at The Hawthorns in August 2010. The Nigeria international has since gone on to score four goals in four appearances against the Black Cats.
Steve Clarke’s men travel to the Stadium of Light in search of their fourth successive Barclays Premier League triumph – a feat not achieved in the top flight since Ron Atkinson’s outfit beat Southampton, Crystal Palace, Coventry and Manchester City in 1980.
Victory over Sunderland would see the Baggies record their best start to a top-flight season, with 13 fixtures played, since Vic Buckingham’s outfit won nine, drew two, and lost only one game at the start of the 1953/54 season. Albion went on to finish second in Division One that year before lifting the FA Cup at Wembley after overcoming Preston North End 3-2.
The Baggies are unbeaten in their last five Barclays Premier League encounters with the Black Cats, winning four and drawing one.
Sunderland have scored fewer home goals (three) than any other Barclays Premier League outfit so far this term.
HOME: Barclays Premier League, Saturday, February 25, 2012, Albion 4 (Odemwingie 81) Sunderland 0
AWAY: Barclays Premier League, Saturday, October 29, 2011, Sunderland 2 (Bendtner 24, Elmohamady 26) Albion 2 (Morrison 4, Long 5)
Form guide (last six league matches)
SUNDERLAND: LDDLLW
ALBION: WLLWWW
Last league match line-ups
SUNDERLAND (v Fulham - away W 3-1): Mignolet; Bardsley, Cuellar, O'Shea, Rose; Johnson, Cattermole, Colback (Vaughan 79), Larsson (McClean 70); Sessegnon; Fletcher. Subs not used: Westwood (gk); Campbell, Wickham, Kilgallon, Saha.
ALBION (v Chelsea – home W 2-1): Myhill; Jones, Tamas, Olsson, Ridgewell; Yacob, Mulumbu; Odemwingie, Morrison (Dorrans 70), Gera (Brunt 70); Long (Rosenberg 80). Subs not used: L Daniels (gk), Popov, Reid, Fortune.
Sunderland team news
Craig Gardner is available for selection again after serving a one-match suspension for picking up five bookings. Martin O’Neil has no fresh injury concerns going into this game, while Wes Brown (knee) remains a long-term absentee.
Ref watch
Mike Dean will referee tomorrow’s game. The Wirral official oversaw Albion’s 1-1 draw at Tottenham in August. Dean has dished out 41 yellow and two red cards in 12 games this term.
Betting
Tickets
Tickets for Albion’s trip to Sunderland will remain on general sale at The Hawthorns’ East Stand box office until 1pm today (Friday). Seats will be available to Baggies fans at the Stadium of Light on the day of the game via cash-only turnstile 73 – but only to adults. Concessionary tickets are only available from the Black Cats' ticket office on the day of the game.
Selected odds from Bet Butler:
Albion to win: 2/1
Sunderland to win: 6/4
Draw: 12/5
Shane Long to score first: 7/1
Steven Fletcher to score first: 12/2
If you fancy a flutter with the club's official online betting partner, click here.
Tickets
Tickets for Albion’s trip to Sunderland will remain on general sale at The Hawthorns’ East Stand box office until 1pm today (Friday). Seats will be available to Baggies fans at the Stadium of Light on the day of the game via cash-only turnstile 73 – but only to adults. Concessionary tickets are only available from the Black Cats' ticket office on the day of the game.
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