West Brom vs Sunderland Prediction: Draw specialists set for play-off clash

An early kick-off between two teams that are looking towards the play-offs at the end of the season in the Championship tickles my fancy this week, as West Brom host Sunderland at the Hawthorns (12:30, Sky Sports+). 

Tony Mowbray is back in the dugout with the Baggies, while Regis Le Bris is hoping to get Sunderland safely into that fourth spot. They beat Millwall 1-0 last time out, and below you can find my West Brom vs Sunderland predictions ahead of this crunch clash.

Team News

Jed Wallace, Josh Maja and Semi Ajayi are all on the road to recovery but it may be another week or so until they are back available for selection. Mowbray could bring Grady Diangana and Mikey Johnston into the starting XI as he looks to make his attacking mark on this game, with Adam Armstrong and Karlan Grant set to start up front once again. 

The late defeat to Norwich was disappointing but WBA were competitive for the majority of the game, although they need to get some wins on the board to assert themselves in the top six. As a result, Jayson Molumby may drop out of the team for a more attacking option, while Torbjorn Heggem and Kyle Bartley should continue their partnership at the heart of the defence. 

Football Odds

Sunderland this week announced the sale of Tom Watson to Brighton for a fee of around £10m, and he will join the Premier League side this summer. However, he will likely have to settle for a place on the bench given the good form of Romaine Mundle on the left wing and Patrick Roberts on the right. 

Chris Rigg will start behind Wilson Isidor, with Dan Neil and Jobe Bellingham completing a now familiar midfield trio. Alan Browne slotted in at right-back with Trai Hume scoring from his new role at left-back. That could continue with Dennis Cirkin out injured, along with Dan Ballard, Enzo Le Fee, Jayden Danns and Ian Poveda. 

West Brom vs Sunderland Odds

West Brom are priced at 6/4 to win this home game, having lost just two games at home all season. That gives them an implied win probability of 40% heading into this fixture, while Sunderland can be backed at 15/8 and a draw is 11/5. 

Over 2.5 goals is 11/10, BTTS is 4/5 and Armstrong and Isidor are level-pegging in terms of opening the scoring, both priced at 6/1. 

Draw @ 11/5

I can’t separate these two right now so I think that the best way for us to attack this is to back a draw. West Brom’s home record has been superb this season, but they have drawn the most home games in the division by some margin (18). They are a decent team at this level and their eight defeats mean they have only lost two more games this term than leaders Sheffield United. 

But their habit of drawing means they are a massive 26 points off top spot and still battling for a place in the top six. I’d usually be happy to back Sunderland to win, but their massive injury list is going to play some part and this purgatory they find themselves in cannot be good for motivation. They are certain to finish fourth, while WBA are doing all they can to join them in the play-offs at the end of the season. I'll back parity at the Hawthorns. 

Scorecast - Adam Armstrong to score first and 1-1 @ 33/1

I’m pretty convinced that this game will finish in a draw, and that both teams will score. So let’s back a 1-1 which both teams would probably take ahead of kick-off. WBA are the draw specialists while Sunderland have failed to score more than one goal in each of their last three matches. 

I’m also happy to back Adam Armstrong to open the scoreline given he is a lively forward that has struck twice since joining on loan in early February. He can trouble this makeshift Sunderland back four and find the net first at the Hawthorns. 

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