There wasn’t much to West Brom’s 0-0 draw at Sunderland on Saturday, but the visitors now have some decent breathing room in the race to stay in the Premier League.
In a match with just three total shots on frame, the Baggies moves five points clear of the drop and into a three-way tie with Everton and Crystal Palace for 12th.
Sunderland inches closer to safety, now three points clear of the final relegation spot.
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The neutrals were likely saying, “Thanks for nothing”, after the first 45 minutes yielded a total of two shots on goal, a shoving match between James Morrison and Jermain Defoe, and a yellow card to Joleon Lescott.
That’s seriously all you missed.
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The second half brought precious little, too, as Tony Pulis’ side looked ready to take a valuable point on the road, and flair-starved Sunderland didn’t do much with the 68th-minute introductions of Steven Fletcher and Connor Wickham.
It worked, as Sunderland recorded the only shot on target in the second half. Here’s to moral victories?
LINEUPS
Sunderland: Pantilimon, Vergini (van Aanholt, 88'), Reveillere, O’Shea, Brown, Cattermole, Larsson, Johnson, Alvarez (Fletcher, 68'), Graham (Wickham, 68'), Defoe
West Bromwich Albion: Foster, Dawson, McAuley, Lescott, Brunt, Morrison (Baird, 73'), Fletcher, Yacob, Gardner (McManaman, 88'), Ideye, Berahino