West Brom win a free-kick on the edge of the area, and Brunt opts against having a go himself in favour of teeing up Phillips for a run-on strike. It takes a deflection off O'Shea, and there's half-hearted appeals for a penalty.
90' +2
A. Nyom gets yellow.
This game has very much just fizzled out, mostly as a result of Sunderland's inability to get their front players involved in the game in the second period. There's a clear gulf in quality between these two teams.
Rough challenge rom Nyom sends him into the book.
90'
Not a whole lot happening out on the pitch, but there's some signs of frustration from Djilobodji, who was a little too rough on Fletcher. The referee took notice of that one, but didn't intervene any further.
88'
West Brom are doing a professional enough job of closing this game out. Sunderland have not had a sniff at goal despite some decent possession in the opposition half.
87'
H. Robson-Kanu enters the game and replaces S. Rondón.
Late appearance for Hal Robson-Kanu off the bench, with Rondon making way.
85'
G. Honeyman gets yellow.
From that free-kick, Sunderland try an ill-advised short routine that's pick-pocketed by Phillips, who sprints half the length of the pitch with the ball before he's brought down blatantly by Honeyman. Yellow card.
84'
Brunt concedes another free-kick after going in behind on Borini, and it was his angry reaction, more than his tackle, that drew a lecture from the referee. The cards stay in his pocket though.
83'
OFF TARGET! McClean gets space down the left-hand side and pings in a good cross that's also poorly defended by Sunderland. Livermore is allowed space to stride in and shoot, but a deflection off Djilobodji eventually takes it over.
81'
J. McClean enters the game and replaces N. Chadli.
Fletcher lays the ball out right for Nyom, who opts against another haphazard cross into the area in favour of driving to the byline, but his cutback to Rondon is intercepted by a defender.
Chadli heads off after an impressive game to be replaced by McClean.
79'
F. Borini enters the game and replaces J. Denayer.
Spoke too soon as Deyaner is withdrawn for Borini.
You get the feeling that Sunderland's window of opportunity has passed them by, as they failed to test Foster enough during their strongest spell at the start of the second period.
Minute
Description
77'
Denayer is alright to continue, and Sunderland can restart the game with the corner that came from Van Aanholt's shot. It's played short to Jones, but Chadli does excellently to run him off the ball.
75'
Denayer is down in some pain after taking a clearance from Yacob right in the midriff. He's just winded hopefully.
74'
Sunderland continue to buzz around the West Brom penalty area, and Foster has to react to prod away a shot from Van Aanholt that took a troubling deflection.
72'
J. Livermore enters the game and replaces J. Morrison.
Honeyman spreads the ball down the line for Larsson, who doubles back before eventually manufacturing space for a cross, where Jones, of all people, is in the box to attack it. However, he digs his header into the ground and Foster can claim it.
Livermore is introduced and Morrison heads off.
70'
Past the midway point of the second half now and no change in the scoreline. Plahy hasn't lived up to the standards of the first period, which has never been a real concern of Pulis' has it?
68'
Bit of a lull in the game at the moment as both managers plot further changes. You would think that with the introduction of Anichebe, Sunderland will begin to push forward even more.
66'
V. Anichebe enters the game and replaces A. Januzaj.
Anichebe has been introduced, with Januzaj making way.
65'
Subs aplenty are warming up on the touchline, meaning that some changes could be imminent. West Brom have just stepped it up a gear in the last few moments.
63'
Phillips takes down a long ball with superb control and beats his man inside, but his shot takes a deflection that pauses the danger momentarily. That's the first we've seen from Phillips since the restart after an effervescent opening period.
61'
Defoe goes down in the area and, egged on by the Sunderland fans, throws an arm up in search of a penalty, but the referee is having none of it. It may be a stroke of luck such as that to bring the visitors back into the game.
58'
I have to say that Sunderland have improved greatly in the second period, and their always admirable travelling fans are responding with a terrific racket in the stands. Pulis should be concerned.
56'
Instead, it's Van Aanholt who takes charge of the set piece, but the wall does its job initially. However, the ball is worked back out to the full-back, who lashes a far more threatening effort on goal that had Foster worried for a second.
54'
Claudio Yacob concedes a free-kick right on the edge of the area, and it's in a great position for either Defoe or Larsson to have a pop...
52'
West Brom haven't started the second period with the same intensity as they did the opening half. They've allowed Sunderland to see the majority of the ball since the restart with the comfort of a two-goal lead in the bank.
50'
Sunderland enjoy a period of possession that's ironically cheered by the home fans after every completed pass. The Black Cats can't even make them pay for their cheek by creating a chance.
48'
No changes from either manager to start the second period. You just have to wonder how long David Moyes will hold fire on introducing Anichebe in attack, even with his fitness concerns.
46'
Off we go again!
45'
Final seconds of the first half as Sunderland win a free-kick in opposition territory, but the delivery from Larsson is catching practice for Ben Foster. Djilobodji then gets away with a poor clearance at the other end.
43'
West Brom are controlling possession as we wind down the first half, but they appear to have eased off on the intensity that characterized their two-goal salvo. Rondon does well to track back and clean up a Morrison mistake.
41'
Anichebe isn't at full fitness but he may be required sooner rather than later if the game keeps going as it has for Sunderland. Defoe has simply been too isolated and there's nothing happening for them in attack.
39'
West Brom are running riot here at the Hawthorns, and Sunderland better be careful that they don't concede a third goal otherwise this game will be out of sight by half-time.
36'
C. Brunt has scored a goal for West Bromwich Albion!
FANTASTIC SECOND! Phillips skips away from John O'Shea, and he squares into the six-yard area where Chadli hammers it off the crossbar. No matter, because Brunt lashes in the rebound with a sumptuous volley!
34'
Chadli storms down the left flank before releasing Morrison to to the rest of the way towards the byline. The cross comes in for the feet of Rondon, who tries to turn and shoot, but is blocked.
32'
Great composure from Fletcher, who was a bit shaky in possession before that goal. It's a well-deserved opener for West Brom, who have dominated this game, and Sunderland face another uphill struggle.
30'
D. Fletcher has scored a goal for West Bromwich Albion! Assist by G. McAuley.
McAuley guided the ball to Fletcher with his head.
DELIGHTFUL FINISH! A corner isn't properly dealt with by the defence, and after bouncing off a few heads, the ball finds its way to Darren Fletcher, who takes it on his chest and slams a fine volley home!
29'
AGONIZINGLY WIDE! Chadli gets down the left flank this time, and dinks a lovely cross back for Rondon to put his head on. The ball deflects off the arm of Phillips and bounces inches shy of the far post!
28'
Larsson's set piece is met by the head of Papy Djilobodji, but Sunderland can't profit from the defender's initial touch. You get the sense that the Swedish midfielder's deliveries will be key this afternoon.
26'
Poor from Larsson as he sends a free-kick miles over the head of any interested parties in the area. Moments later. Phillips lays the ball off for Nyom to cross, but he lobs in a simple delivery for Vito Mannone to catch.
24'
A long ball out of the back finds both Phillips and Rondon positioning themselves to latch onto it. It's the Venezuelan who eventually takes charge of the situation, but he hammers a strike over the bar.
22'
Tell you what, Jones may have escaped with a tug after defending Rondon on that last play! Tony Pulis certainly thinks so.
21'
Phillips has the ball on the edge of the area and decodes to drive for the right byline instead of shooting. He's nearly vindicated when he puts in an inviting cross that nearly finds the head of Salomon Rondon under pressure from Billy Jones.
18'
Matt Phillips shows excellent skill to take his marker out of the equation and release Nacer Chadli, but the ex-Tottenham man puts in a poor cross from the byline that ends that chance.
16'
Allan Nyom has two bites of the cherry to put in an in-swinging cross, but both times, it's well defended by the home side, before Sebastian Larsson eventually puts his laces through the ball to clear.
14'
Jack Rodwell is back in defence to help out but once he wins the ball, his only option is a long punt forward for the diminutive Defoe. A useless approach without someone like Anichebe in the XI.
12'
Blistering atmosphere at the Hawthorns to start this match. The home side are controlling the majority of the ball, but they've been a bit careless with one or two of their passes, and Sunderland are starting to pick those off.
9'
Adnan Januzaj attempts to take on Gareth McAuley down the right flank, but has to cut the ball back inside for Jermain Defoe. The striker drops his shoulder and puts the ball onto his left foot for a strike that is deflected out for the first corner of the game.
7'
James Morrison has been very active in the early goings, and does well to keep an over-hit cross from Brunt alive on the right-hand side. West Brom are starting to apply more pressure in the final third.
5'
Strong voice for the away side here, who managed to sell their entire complement of away tickets for this fixture despite their position in the table. They've started decently on the ball as well.
3'
Sunderland really have been desperate on their travels this season with just four away points, coming via a win against Bournemouth in November and a draw with Southampton back in August.
1'
Off we go!
West Brom were smashed 4-0 by Tottenham last weekend, a result which came on the heels of a shock loss at home to Derby County in the third round of the FA Cup. Still, the Baggies are in eighth, more or less competing to be the 'best of the rest' with the top six in the EPL pulling away.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Premier League meeting between West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland. The hosts want to recover from a damaging defeat to Spurs against a side looking to break a four-match winless streak.
West Brom's new signing Jake Livermore will begin on the bench after arriving from Hull. The home side also have Chris Brunt in the XI despite concerns over a back injury leading up to matchday.
Steven Pienaar and Jordan Pickford won't feature for the visitors, but Jack Rodwell is fit enough to start after a knee complaint, while Victor Anichebe has been named on the bench.
After Swansea's win, bottom of the table is where Sunderland sit, and with their last win in any context coming over a month ago, survival is the only goal. The Black Cats found no respite in the FA Cup as they were dumped out by a 2-0 defeat in a replay against Burnley at Turf Moor.
West Brom finish the first half with a round of applause from their fans that drown out a chorus of boos from the visiting supporters. It's been one-way traffic in the first half, with the Baggies taking a deserved lead thanks to fine finishes from Fletcher and Brunt. Sunderland have a lot to do if they're to reverse this.
And that will do it from the Hawthorns. The second half was a formality, with quality goals from Brunt and Fletcher doing the damage before the break. Five matches without a win for Sunderland now, who are bottom of the pile. West Brom stay in eighth, but get a morale-boosting result after their humiliation against Spurs. That's it from me, thanks for tuning in.
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