Sunderland made it back-to-back Championship wins and clean sheets with a 1-0 win over West Brom.
Trai Hume’s first-half free kick made the difference and though the hosts dominated possession, they struggled to carve open a resilient Black Cats side. Here’s how Phil Smith rated the Sunderland players after a win that all but secured their place in the top six...
5. Trai Hume
A little bit fortunate to see his free kick beat the goalkeeper but it was a good delivery. Didn’t get forward much but defended very well and made so many important clearing headers. 8 | James Copley Photo: Trai Hume - player rating photo by James Copley
6. Dan Neil
Couldn’t really get on the ball in a frustrating first half but was top drawer in the second. Picked good passes, took time out of the game when required… very composed. 7 | James Copley
7. Jobe Bellingham
Dropped to the base of midfield and produced a disciplined display that included some important covering runs and tackles. 6 | James Copley
8. Chris Rigg
Some really good touches and turns but was on the periphery of the game for the most part. Big shift out of possession. 6 | James Copley Photo: James Copley