Sunderland v West Brom: Carlos Corberan confirms major fitness boost as key duo will be available to face Black Cats

The Baggies enjoyed an upturn in form under new boss Carlos Corberan before the Championship paused for the World Cup. Three consecutive wins over Blackpool, QPR and Stoke City eased relegation fears at the Hawthorns.

Sunderland, fresh off the back of a comprehensive 3-0 win over Millwall last weekend, will prove to be a stern test of Corberan’s new side, but the Baggies will go into Monday night’s game with two of their key players available for selection. Corberan has confirmed that both Semi Ajayi, who hasn;t featured since August, and Darly Dike, who has made just a solitary cameo against Stoke City since July, will be available for selection at the Stadium of Light.

Corberan told BBC WM: “Both players were working with the group. Ajayi closer to normal and Dike under a more controlled dynamic, in terms of the number of training sessions that he could be doing.”

”So far both are going to be available for the next selection I’m going to have to do.”

Elsewhere, Tony Mowbray has hinted that both Jewison Bennette and Bailey Wright, who were away at the World Cup with Costa Rica and Australia respectively, could feature against the Baggies. Mowbray said: "Both of them are back.

“Bailey wanted to play in our behind-closed-doors game against Middlesbrough on Wednesday so he has had a run out. Jewison returned to training on Thursday - he said it was a great experience and featured in every game.”