'Realistic chance' - West Brom boss Tony Mowbray hopeful ex-Sunderland star will be fit for Black Cats clash

West Brom boss Tony Mowbray has confirmed that there is a “realistic chance” former Sunderland striker Josh Maja will be fit enough to feature in his side’s Championship clash against the Black Cats next month.

Regis Le Bris’ men travel to The Hawthorns on April 5th, with both teams looking to build momentum ahead of prospective play-off campaigns in the coming weeks. At the time of writing, Sunderland lie fourth in the table, 12 points clear of sixth-placed West Brom, who themselves sit just inside the play-off places on goal difference alone.

As such, with eight games left to play, Mowbray’s meeting with his old club could prove to be one of heightened significance for his current squad, and the 61-year-old is hopeful that he will be able to call on top scorer Maja, as well as Semi Ajayi and Jed Wallace.

What has Tony Mowbray said about West Brom injury news ahead of Sunderland clash?

Speaking about Maja, Ajayi, and Wallace during a recent press conference, Mowbray said: “I think they will be another week or potentially two on the back of that [international break] and then I think there’s a realistic chance that they might be getting close to being ready.”

He added: “The more fit players we have got, the better it is for the team and the group really because you have got better options coming off the bench, whoever goes on the bench or whoever starts the game. Hopefully they will get fit before the end of the season or if we manage to make the play-offs they are available and fit and ready for those games as well. It’s important.”

West Brom’s first match after the international break comes against Norwich City on Saturday afternoon. For his part, Maja has been sidelined since January with a lower leg injury. At the time, the Baggies released an official statement suggesting that he would undergo surgery, and would be out of action for a period of several weeks. In the case of Ajayi, the centre-back sustained a hamstring injury in late last month, while captain Wallace has been battling a calf problem since mid-February.

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What has Tony Mowbray said about West Brom’s play-off chances ahead of Sunderland clash?

Addressing his side’s promotion hopes this season, Mowbray struck an optimistic tone during a recent press conference. He said: "We've been to Elland Road and Turf Moor and done okay. Now we've got places to go against teams not as high up in the table, so we have to go there hoping to get positive results.”

He added: "We wanted a win over Hull City [prior to the international break] to open up a gap. But it's now eight games to go. Eight big games. The crux of it, as it always has been, is to still be in it on the last day when the wheel stops turning. It looks like there might be four or five teams within three points of each other. "We've something to play for going into the final stretch and you've got to look forward confidently to the challenge. What will be will be, but we at least want to get to Wembley and give ourselves a chance."

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