West Bromwich Albion

Image source, Getty Images

Defender Mason Holgate says West Bromwich Albion are relishing the opportunity to take on a promotion rival when they travel to Sunderland on Tuesday.

The Baggies are sixth in the Championship and are six points behind second-placed Sunderland following a 2-2 draw with Norwich at the weekend, in which Holgate scored.

"If we want to be where we want to be and if we have the quality we believe we have, these are the games where we need to stand up and make statements," Holgate told BBC Radio WM.

"I think we all know that and are ready for it and looking forward to it."

Sunderland are one of three teams tied on 32 points at the top of the table, along with Leeds and Sheffield United, and Holgate believes things can change very quickly.

"I feel like this year, anybody can beat anybody and that's what makes these games where we come away feeling like we could've won a little bit more frustrating, because you add those points on, it makes a really big difference," he said.

"But the games come so fast. If we win on Tuesday against Sunderland and win on Saturday against Preston, it's been a good week and we will be in a much different place.

"So all we can do is look forward and keep concentrating on games that are coming thick and fast now until the Christmas period."

Everton loanee Holgate previously had a spell with West Brom in 2019 and says he has "loved" being back at the club.

"Last time I was here, we dropped a little bit short in the play-offs, so I want to go one further and try and get promoted this year," Holgate added.

"I think with the quality that we've got - and nobody in this league is pulling away with it - I feel like it's there to be grabbed by somebody, so that's what we want to do."

You can listen to Mason Holgate's interview on BBC Sounds.

A fourth successive league draw for Sunderland at the weekend saw them replaced by Leeds United at the top of the Championship table but they will be looking to reclaim the lead as they host sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday.

The Black Cats, level on points with Leeds but in second on goal difference, will also be mindful of Sheffield United - also on 32 points - and Burnley - two points further back - who are both also eyeing top spot going into their games against Oxford United and Coventry City respectively.

To get themselves back top, Sunderland need to beat a Baggies team who are on an eight-game unbeaten streak and, with the majority of those ending in draws (W1 D7), the West Midlands outfit will be eager to come away victorious.

• Sunderland have won their last three league games against West Brom, having won just one of their previous 16 games against the Baggies (D5 L10).

• West Bromwich Albion have won one of their last six league visits to Sunderland (D3 L2), winning 2-1 in December 2022.

• Sunderland are unbeaten in each of their first seven home league games of the season (W5 D2), their longest such run in the top two tiers since 2010-11 in the Premier League (first 9).

• No side have drawn more away Championship games in 2024 than West Brom (8), including three of their last four such games (W1).

• West Brom have failed to score in each of their last three league games in midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday), drawing each of the last two (L1); though they have kept a clean sheet in 10 of their 12 previous such games.

Image source, Rex Features

West Brom striker Josh Maja scored his 10th goal of the Championship season in the entertaining 2-2 draw with Norwich City on Saturday.

Maja confidently volleyed home Tom Fellows' pinpoint cross to level the scores at The Hawthorns, his third goal in four matches.

He is likely to surpass the 15 goals he scored for Sunderland in League One in 2018-19 before departing the Stadium of Light in January 2019.

Maja went on to have a four year spell in France with Bordeaux between 2019 and 2023, where he scored 29 goals from 93 appearances in all competitions.

He is the Championship's second top goal scorer behind Norwich's Borja Sainz, who has scored 11 goals.

Image source, Rex Features

Defender Kyle Bartley is back in training with West Bromwich Albion but will not be considered for Saturday's Championship match at home to Norwich City.

The 33-year-old has missed Albion's past five games due to a knee injury but is in line to make his comeback at Sunderland next week.

"The target is to have him available for the Preston game next weekend," head coach Carlos Corberan told BBC Radio WM.

"Depending on his progression he could be considered for Sunderland on Tuesday."

Bartley's fellow defender Darnell Furlong is only one yellow card away from a suspension having been booked in three of Albion's last four games.

"Hopefully he can manage the situation because we never like players receiving yellow cards - sometimes the action demands it but sometimes not," Corberan added.

"You have to stay focused, not talk to the referee for any unnecessary thing which forces him to show a yellow card, so you have to handle it with concentration and maturity."

Image source, BBC Sport

West Brom ended a run of eight games without victory (D6 L2) when they won 2-1 at Hull City last time out, while Norwich are winless in six (D3 L3).

The Baggies have struggled for goals at The Hawthorns, scoring just twice in their seven home games but still remain fifth in the table in a play-off spot.

The Canaries have slipped to 14th and are now just three points above the drop zone ahead of this weekend's Championship action.

• West Brom have lost just one of their last six league games against Norwich City (W3 D2), though that sole defeat did come in their last meeting with the Canaries in January (0-2).

• Norwich have lost their last two away league games against West Brom and will be looking to avoid losing visits in succession for the first time since 1998.

• West Brom's seven home league games this season have seen just three goals scored (2 for, 1 against). That is the fewest goals ever scored in a team's first seven home league games of a season in Football League history.

• Norwich have lost their last three Championship matches, as many as in their previous 18 league games combined. The Canaries last suffered four defeats in a row in November 2023.

• West Brom's last three league games at the Hawthorns have been drawn 0-0. In Football League history, only three teams have drawn four in a row at home goalless: Wrexham in September 1978, Bristol City in January 2000 and Wolves in April 2016.

Image source, Rex Features

West Brom defender Torbjorn Heggem came off the bench just after the hour to help Norway seal a 5-0 win over Kazakhstan to top their Nations League group and secure promotion to the top flight.

Meanwhile, midfielder Jayson Molumby won his 29th cap and played 90 minutes for the Republic of Ireland as they slipped to a heavy defeat against England.

The 25-year-old started in midfield and picked up a booking near the end of a goalless first half at Wembley, only for the visitors to have Liam Scales sent-off, paving the way for England to cruise to a 5-0 win.

The Republic of Ireland now face a relegation play-off against a League C team in March. Winger Mikey Johnston was also an unused sub for the visitors.

On-loan defender Mason Holgate will sit-out Jamaica’s Concacaf Nations League quarter-final second leg against the USA in St Louis in the early hours of Tuesday after being sent off for two yellow cards in Thursday night’s 1-0 first leg defeat in Kingston.

Image source, Rex Features

There were mixed fortunes for West Brom players on international duty on Thursday.

Mason Holgate was sent off as Jamaica suffered a 1-0 defeat by the USA in the first leg of their CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final in Kingston.

Holgate, who also had an effort cleared off the line by Yunus Musah, was sent off after 86 minutes when he picked up a second yellow card.

The defeat - the first in five games for Jamaica under Steve McClaren - gave Mauricio Pochettino his first competitive victory for the USA.

On-loan Baggies man Holgate will be suspended for Tuesday's return leg.

There was better news for his defensive partner Torbjorn Heggem who made his debut for Norway, playing 87 minutes of their 4-1 Nations League success in Slovenia.

Elsewhere wide-man Mikey Johnston teed-up the winner for the Republic of Ireland in their 1-0 home win over Finland in Dublin while Albion team-mate Jayson Molumby came off the bench for the final 14 minutes for the hosts.

Image source, Rex Features

West Brom head coach Carlos Corberan says his side did not do enough to create chances in the second-half of their goalless draw with Burnley.

Albion managed nine shots in the opening period at The Hawthorns but produced only two after the break and are now without a win in their past eight Championship games.

"I liked the first-half but in the second-half we didn't find a way to create anything in attack," Corberan told BBC WM.

"We didn't find the right solutions. We are not finding our best level. In the second half they were better than us."

West Brom have now failed to score in their last four home games and were thankful to goalkeeper Alex Palmer for denying Burnley's Jeremy Sarmiento when he was sent clear.

"Alex Palmer's save was key because when you are not finding the chances or the goals it's important not to concede and keep growing from the good things our defence is doing," Corberan added.

Albion now have a quick turnaround before visiting Hull City on Sunday.

"It's difficult because we have less than 72 hours to compete with an opponent who have a different time of recovering as they were playing two days ago," said Corberan.

"In attack we have some possibilities (to make changes) but in defence we have no defenders we can use to rotate."

Image source, Rex Features

On Thursday night, West Bromwich Albion host fourth-placed Burnley, a team three places above them in the Championship table.

Despite a home side usually having the advantage, life at The Hawthorns has not been running smoothly for the Baggies.

Alongside League Two's Tranmere Rovers, Albion have scored the joint-fewest amount of home goals across the EFL this season, finding the target just twice.

The last time they troubled the scoresheet on their own ground was on 21 September at home to Plymouth Argyle.

"In past years we have had more goals than we have now," head coach Carlos Corberan told BBC Radio WM.

"You cannot worry about what has gone. There are so many things we can do. How we defend and how we attack. But we just need to concentrate on the things that affect us."

Corberan believes Burnley are "one of the strongest squads in the Championship", but is also confident that it takes more than just footballing prowess to win matches.

"The good thing in football is that every game is demanding - a mental challenge. You win with experience but you also win with emotion," he added.

You can read Ged Scott's full article here.