EPL Match Preview: West Brom vs. Sunderland
Steve Bruce’s Sunderland F.C is scheduled to take on West Bromwich Albion in their second league game of the season at the Hawthorns Stadium on 21st of August, 2010. The match will kick off at 15:00 hrs GMT.
Sunderland started off their English Premier League campaign in shoddy fashion against Birmingham City at home. A match that Sunderland was leading by two goals to nil ended up being a 2-2 draw due to the black cat’s defensive naivety. West Brom got a real welcome to the English Premier League as they were absolutely battered by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The final score in London was close to being a cricket score as Chelsea put six goals past the West Brom goal keeper Scott Carson.
Roberto Di Matteo, West Brom’s manager stated that his club will have to learn from their mistakes against Chelsea. Their first home game against Sunderland will be a perfect opportunity to showcase as to how far West Brom has come from its last relegation season in the English Premier League. Importantly, Sunderland will be without their star defensive midfielder Lee Cattermole, who, much to his disappointment, was shown two yellow cards in Sunderland’s opening match against Birmingham City. As a result, the English national will miss Sunderland’s trip to West Bromwich.
Steve Bruce will also have to deal with Jonathan Mensah’s absence as the Ghanaian midfielder suffered a hamstring injury in Sunderland’s draw against Birmingham at the stadium of light. Sunderland also face a host of other problems as their first choice goal keeper, Craig Gordon is still out of action with a fractured arm and Andy Reid is also not available due to a hamstring injury. George McCartney is also sidelined due to an ankle injury so most likely Richardson will deputize in his place as a right back. David Meyler’s knee injury keeps him on the operating table as well so Sunderland are facing a plethora of squad problems before their trip to the Hawthorns.
For West Brom, Peter Odemwingie, their newest signing can make his first appearance for the club after just twenty fours of his move’s confirmation from Lokomotiv Moscow. The 29-year-old center forward was issued his work permit and visa before he flew to England. Ishmael Miller is going to miss a month’s worth of football after suffering a hamstring injury in training for the Baggies this week, while Joe Mattock picked up an ankle injury and therefore his chances of playing in the game are bleak as well.
Both the teams will be looking to bounce back from their first weekend’s disappointments. West Brom will be striving to keep themselves out of the bottom three zone while Sunderland will be looking to improve on their 10th place finish in last season’s English Premier League. In pre-season, West Brom played against Osasuna Pamplona in a match that ended with a score of 1-1, while Sunderland defeated Darlington F.C by a goal to nil in their pre-season encounter.
If West Bromwich Albion is to succeed in their bid to stay in the English Premier League for the 2011/2012 season, then it is vital for them that they pick up points against the likes of Sunderland, who do not have a good record on their travels. Given the injury problems that the black cats are facing, West Brom most likely will face a depleted Sunderland squad and therefore it gives them an excellent opportunity to nick points off Steve Bruce’s team.
In 2009, West Bromwich defeated Sunderland by 3-0 in the corresponding English Premier League fixture. Out of their last eight head-to-head meetings in the English Premier League or the Championship, West Brom has won three and Sunderland has won three. Two of the eight matches have ended in draws.
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