Championship football under the lights returns to the Stadium of Light on Monday evening when Sunderland welcome West Bromwich Albion to Wearside.
While the rest of the division are in action across the weekend, Sunderland will use that time to continue preparations for the 157th competitive meeting between the two sides.
Can the Lads earn themselves a third straight win against Carlos Corberan’s side. Here is a look back at three of the best, and most significant, results against the West Midlands outfit…
Sunderland 2-0 West Brom: Monday 26th August 2006
After a troublesome start to the Championship season, Sunderland sealed their first league win with Chairman Niall Quinn ushering in a new era in the process.
Roy Keane watched on from the stands as he surveyed his new side secure a catalyst victory in their season which would ultimately lead them on to Championship glory.
Dean Whitehead scored directly from a corner ball to hand the hosts the lead on Wearside before Neill Collins header inflicted further damage on Bryan Robson’s side.
After the game, Quinn told the media: “The manager knows he has got characters in there.” An assertion that’s hard to disagree with given they went on to lift the title and gain promotion that season.
Tony Mowbray would go on to take over the Baggies in October 2006 leading them to a fourth placed finish.
Sunderland 4-0 West Brom: Saturday 13th December 2008
A cloud threatened to hang over Wearside after a tough run of results and a breakdown in talks between manager and hierarchy saw Roy Keane end his two-year stint in charge.
But following the departure of Keane, the Lads were not to be deterred as caretaker boss Ricky Sbragia led them to an emphatic victory.
The Baggies were outclassed at the Stadium of Light as Kenwyne Jones helped himself to two goals in the first half to get the hosts going.
Andy Reid’s back post header added a third before half-time before Djibril Cisse rounded off the goals with a drilled finish after the interval.
Sunderland 2-0 West Brom: Wednesday 7th May 2014
Needing just a point in their penultimate game of the Premier League season, the Lads rubber stamped their top flight status with an emphatic win over the Baggies.
The damage was done in the first half as Guy Poyet’s side put the sword to the visitors, who effectively had their Premier League status secured by the end of the game despite losing.
Marcos Alonso’s low cross was stabbed home by Jack Colback within 13 minutes before Fabio Borini latched onto Seb Larsson’s pinpoint dink and connected with a lovely volley on the turn to double their lead on the half hour mark.