Club News

Sunderland v Albion - team news

McAuley and Brunt return to starting XI

GARETH McAuley replaces Gabriel Tamas in the heart of Albion’s defence after recovering from a hamstring injury which saw him miss last Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea.

Steve Clarke makes one other change for the Stadium of Light clash as Chris Brunt replaces Youssouf Mulumbu who is sidelined with a tight hamstring.  

Boaz Myhill continues in goal as Ben Foster sits out his third successive game following an operation on his left groin. 

Romelu Lukaku returns to the Baggies bench after ineligibility ruled him out of last weekend’s triumph over his parent club.  

Martin O'Neil has stuck with the starting XI that won 3-1 at Fulham last Sunday. There is one change to the bench as Craig Gardner returns in place Connor Wickham.

SUNDERLAND (4-4-1-1): Mignolet, Bardsley, Cuellar, O’Shea, Rose; Larsson, Cattermole (c), Colback, Johnson; Sessegnon; Fletcher. Subs: Westwood (gk); Gardner, Campbell, Kilgallon, Vaughan, Westwood, McClean, Saha.

ALBION (4-2-3-1): Myhill; Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell; Yacob, Morrison; Odemwingie, Gera, Brunt (c); Long. Subs: L Daniels (gk); Dorrans, Rosenberg, Fortune, Popov, Lukaku, Tamas.