Sunderland beat West Brom as players unable to ease pressure on Pepe Mel - match analysis

On this evidence, they probably don't. Another abject display from the Baggies at the Stadium of Light gave just under 1,000 travelling fans a miserable night on Wearside and surely pushed Mel a little closer to the exit.

For all his charm and warmth, the Spaniard has offered little evidence so far that he is the man to rebuild the Baggies from a dismal campaign in time for next season.

But on nights like last night in the north east, it is impossible not to feel a whole heap of sympathy for a likable, honourable man who was handed the task of cleaning up one unholy mess.

While Mel has probably not done enough to keep himself in a job, it is games like last night's that remind supporters of the players' role in turning an eighth-place side into survival strugglers in 12 depressing months.

That Albion's meek fight against the drop will go mathematically down to the final day of the season – they will not be relegated but theoretically it remains a possibility – is a damning indictment of a year of chronic failure.

Mel has done nothing to arrest the slide and so, in all probability, will face the consequences.

Yet last night's tame surrender to a fired-up Sunderland side was typical of the anaemic displays that have left his side in a mess. Albion were second in every position, weak defensively, lacking in drive and devoid of punch to the point Vito Mannone in the home goal was never called into serious action.

The Black Cats looked from the opening moments like a side determined to end their lingering relegation worries, while Albion looked utterly uninterested. And they might have been behind in the eighth minute when Fabio Borini met a lay-off with a stinging shot from 20 yards that forced Ben Foster into a fine, flying save.

But that was merely a stay of execution for Mel's men, who found themselves behind in the 13th minute as they were carved open again.

Steven Reid was beaten by marauding full-back Marcos Alonso and, when he aimed a cross to the edge of the six-yard box, Jack Colback caught Claudio Yacob napping and poked home a shot.

The Baggies showed little appetite for the battle.

And, after a couple of other minor scares for the visitors, the home side doubled their lead on 31 minutes. Yacob gave the ball away cheaply and left too much space in midfield for Seb Larsson to lift a clever pass over the Baggies' back four.

Borini timed his run to perfection and beat Foster with a fantastic finish, but the ease of the goal still left Baggies fans scratching their heads.

There was a brief moment of promise for Mel and Co shortly before the interval when Saido Berahino cut in from the left and hit a curling, low shot that Mannone could only parry.

The abject nature of Albion's first-half display was summed up by a double-change in personnel at the interval – Youssouf Mulumbu and Craig Dawson replacing Claudio Yacob and Steven Reid – and a major reshuffle. Mulumbu was paired with Graham Dorrans in the heart of midfield and it gave their side a little more drive.

It almost paid off after 10 minutes when a fine cross from Dawson from the right narrowly evaded Victor Anichebe at the far post.

And Sessegnon twice threatened to make things nervous for his ex-team-mates. First he let fly with a long-range effort that flew off target and then he cut in and hit a left-footed effort that was just wide.

The hosts regained the upper hand and should have wrapped up the game when Colback crossed from the left to substitute Jozy Altidore, but he fired wide at the far post when he should have scored.

But in the end it didn't matter and the miracle Gus Poyet said Sunderland needed was complete.