Premier League preview: Sunderland v West Brom

Sunderland host West Brom on Saturday, with both clubs in dire need of points after poor starts to the English Premier League season.

Steve Bruce’s Sunderland team are in 14th place on the league table, with just five points from their opening six matches, while West Brom are second from the bottom after claiming just four.

Form like that means both sides will be keen for a win before the second international break of the season, and Sunderland defender Titus Bramble said the club are desperate to bounce back from their 2-1 loss at Norwich on Monday.

“We’ll pick the pieces of the game at Norwich and make sure we improve for West Brom,” Bramble told the Sunderland Echo.

“We’re disappointed, but there’s another massive game on Saturday so we need to make sure we get a result.”

“Yes, West Brom haven’t had the greatest of starts but they’ve still got good players.”

“If you go into the international break with a defeat on your backs, it’s such a long two weeks.”

“But if you go into it with a win under your belts, you can go into it with real confidence.”

Bruce said some of his big-names players had to step up for Saturday’s match.

“Too many players were below par and the number of times we turned over possession and gave it away, we made it a difficult night for ourselves,” Bruce said of the Norwich loss.

“I can’t criticise my players’ work-rate and effort to get something out of the game but the mistakes we made cost us, simple mistakes.”

West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie will be hoping to add to his tally of one goal for the season in the match, and the Nigerian international likes playing Sunderland after scoring home and away against them last term.

Odemwingie scored 15 goals in the Premier League last season and the 30-year-old thinks he is returning to full fitness after some ankle issues in the preseason.

“Even though I had a good season, I am still not satisfied and hopefully I can build my confidence now and get back to good physical condition and start scoring again,” Odemwingie said.

But West Brom boss Roy Hodgson has already ruled out Hungarian midfielder Zoltan Gera for the match as he continues to recover from an ankle injury.

“Gera is still in rehabilitation and there’s no chance of Zoltan being ready for Saturday’s game at Sunderland,” Hodgson said.