West Brom 0 Sunderland 1: Trai Hume scores winner at the Hawthorns

Hume scored for the second week in succession as the Black Cats shut out West Brom to claim a win that saw them move to within eight points of third-placed Leeds United.

STORY OF THE GAME

Sunderland were under the cosh for most of the first half, with Mikey Johnston causing stand-in right-back Alan Browne a series of problems down Albion’s left-hand side.

But after Chris Mepham cleared Grady Diangana’s shot off the goalline, the Black Cats claimed the lead in the 35th minute.

Eliezer Mayenda had only been on the field for a couple of minutes as a replacement for the injured Romaine Mundle when he was sent sprawling close to the corner of the 18-yard box.

Trai Hume stepped up and curled a first-time effort past Joe Wildsmith and into the net. Wildsmith should have done much better given that the ball flew straight past him, but it was still a superb strike from Hume, who was making it two goals in two games after his winner against Millwall last weekend.

West Brom spent most of the second half pushing for an equaliser, but their best moment came to nothing when Anthony Patterson clawed away Kyle Bartley’s header.

STAR MAN

Chris Mepham was absolutely immense at the heart of Sunderland’s back four, just shading the equally-influential Luke O’Nien for the Man of the Match honours.

Both Sunderland centre-halves stood firm in the face of some increasingly-frantic West Brom attacking, winning headers, making blocks and putting their bodies on the line to secure a clean sheet.

Mepham, who has been superb for Sunderland all season, caught the eye in the first half, clearing Grady Diangana’s goal-bound effort from just in front of the goalline.

He made an equally important intervention in the second period, throwing his leg in the way of a close-range strike from Darnell Furlong.

KEY MOMENT

The goal. Hume scored from open play against Millwall last weekend, and made it two goals in two games as he whipped a direct free-kick past Joe Wildsmith.

Yes, the Albion goalkeeper should almost certainly have done better given that he was in direct sight of Hume’s shot, which flew straight past him.

But the goal means Hume now boasts nine goal involvements (either scoring or claiming an assist) this season, with Leeds’ Junior Firpo the only defender who can claim a higher figure.

Hume’s importance to Sunderland’s cause cannot be overestimated, whether when filling in as a makeshift left-back, as he has in the last two games, or when playing in his more usual position on the right of the back four.

TALKING POINT

When Romaine Mundle was forced off before half-time, Regis Le Bris could have turned to Tommy Watson as his replacement.

However, while Le Bris insisted that Watson remains available for selection when he spoke to the press earlier this week, the Sunderland boss is clearly unhappy at the teenage winger’s decision to turn down a series of contract offers in order to force through a summer move to Brighton.

Instead of bringing on Watson when Mundle hobbled off, Le Bris introduced Eliezer Mayenda on the left-hand side. It proved an astute move as, within two minutes of coming onto the pitch, Mayenda was winning the free-kick that led to Hume’s winner.

The Spaniard might prefer to play as a central striker, but if Mundle is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, there is a good chance Mayenda will be Le Bris’ first-choice option in the wide-attacking role on the left-hand side.