Follow live coverage as West Bromwich Albion face Sunderland in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
West Bromwich Albion FC 0 - 1 Sunderland AFC
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:54Foul by Kyle Bartley (West Bromwich Albion).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:53Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Trai Hume.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:53Attempt missed. Trai Hume (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Eliezer Mayenda.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:54Delay over. They are ready to continue.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:54Delay in match because of an injury Alan Browne (Sunderland).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:52Alex Mowatt (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:52Attempt blocked. Mikey Johnston (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Grady Diangana.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:50Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Chris Mepham.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:50Foul by Alex Mowatt (West Bromwich Albion).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:48Attempt blocked. Kyle Bartley (West Bromwich Albion) header from the centre of the box is blocked.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:48Attempt blocked. Grady Diangana (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jayson Molumby.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:44Second Half begins West Bromwich Albion 0, Sunderland 1.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:26First Half ends, West Bromwich Albion 0, Sunderland 1.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:23Joe Wildsmith (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:25Foul by Luke O'Nien (Sunderland).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:22Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Kyle Bartley.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:21Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Torbjørn Heggem.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:19Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:18Foul by Chris Mepham (Sunderland).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:18Foul by Adam Armstrong (West Bromwich Albion).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:18Fourth official has announced 9 minutes of added time.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:17Attempt missed. Grady Diangana (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from outside the box.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:15Attempt missed. Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Alex Mowatt with a cross following a corner.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:15Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Anthony Patterson.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:14Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Jobe Bellingham.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:14Attempt blocked. Mikey Johnston (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Alex Mowatt.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:14Offside, West Bromwich Albion. Adam Armstrong is caught offside.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:11Alex Mowatt (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:11Delay over. They are ready to continue.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:10Delay in match because of an injury Jobe Bellingham (Sunderland).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:09Foul by Darnell Furlong (West Bromwich Albion).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:07Goal! West Bromwich Albion 0, Sunderland 1. Trai Hume (Sunderland) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:07Foul by Grady Diangana (West Bromwich Albion).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:07Delay over. They are ready to continue.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:07Substitution, Sunderland. Eliezer Mayenda replaces Romaine Mundle because of an injury.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:04Delay in match because of an injury Romaine Mundle (Sunderland).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:03Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Alex Mowatt.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:03Attempt blocked. Patrick Roberts (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:03Delay over. They are ready to continue.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:00Delay in match because of an injury Torbjørn Heggem (West Bromwich Albion).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:57Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Alex Mowatt.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:57Foul by Adam Armstrong (West Bromwich Albion).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:57Attempt missed. Romaine Mundle (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Chris Rigg.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:55Offside, Sunderland. Wilson Isidor is caught offside.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:53Delay over. They are ready to continue.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:53Delay in match because of an injury Wilson Isidor (Sunderland).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:51Grady Diangana (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the right wing.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:50Attempt missed. Alex Mowatt (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from outside the box.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:48Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Chris Mepham.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:03Delay over. They are ready to continue.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:47Delay in match (Sunderland).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
13:03Delay in match (West Bromwich Albion).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:47Attempt blocked. Grady Diangana (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:43Attempt blocked. Mikey Johnston (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:42Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:41Attempt missed. Romaine Mundle (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left following a corner.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:40Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Kyle Bartley.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:35Foul by Adam Armstrong (West Bromwich Albion).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:33Foul by Mikey Johnston (West Bromwich Albion).
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:33Offside, Sunderland. Patrick Roberts is caught offside.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:32First Half begins.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
12:00Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
West Bromwich Albion vs Sunderland
10:30Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
Whether it's Premier League, Champions League, a European Championship or the World Cup we will keep you up to date with everything you need to know.
We will have all the latest scores, goals and updates plus analysis and reaction throughout the game here.
