West Brom v Sunderland: Carlos Corberan fuelled by task of developing Albion’s best

The Baggies are undefeated in 10 games, a run of five wins and five draws, and among the division’s form sides – with only Ipswich and Leeds taking more points in that period.

Albion have, at times in that run, looked some way from a rip-roaring side and Corberan himself has said managing periods in games has been a problem, either in letting a lead slip or starting slowly and having to recover.

A run of no defeats in 10, and just one in 14, however, is worth big praise at any stage of a season, particularly the pressure-cooker of a promotion run-in.

Corberan’s side turn their attention to the visit of mid-table Sunderland, seemingly with little to play for, tomorrow. A win and defeats for rivals could see Albion all-but mathematically rubber-stamp their top six place for next month. The head coach has zero interest of that, though, and is still fully-focused on necessary improvements.

“I want to recover the best level of this team – this is my mentality right now. I think the team has found the motivation with this point,” Corberan said when asked about his side’s run of form.

“Now I don’t want to talk about play-offs, I don’t want to talk about anything more than to recover the best level we can have. I want to see the team performing as close as we can to our best level and competing as close as we can to our best level too, from now until the last game of the season and after game 46 we will evaluate the position of the team.

“We will see if we have the opportunity to have more games to fight for something that would be unbelievable.”

Tomorrow’s visitors are still under the caretaker stewardship of Mike Dodds after Michael Beale was dismissed following a very short stint at the Stadium of Light.

While relegated Rotherham didn’t bring a stern test, Corberan acknowledged a “maturity” in how his side handled the occasion on Wednesday. Albion’s controversial penalty to make it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time was, realistically, enough to down the Millers and the second period was a procession.

Asked how close he thinks Albion are to near their top levels, the boss replied: “I think on Wednesday we gave a step to the level of maturity, in general, and an emotional stability to manage the game that I didn’t see in previous games.

“In some parts we controlled the game well, we understood the game and I didn’t see the team suffering. In the last weeks I saw the team (suffering).

“You can evaluate the team against you as a contribution to this but every game is hard, it is important we keep growing until the end, still there are things to work and to make better but I don’t see that as a problem, I see it as a motivation that makes me feel on fire, because I want to see my team playing the best football we can do.”

Albion are hopeful captain Jed Wallace can return to contention against the Black Cats having missed out through illness on Wednesday night.