Monday Football Tips: Back Black Cats duo to hit the target

• Baggies have had three straight clean sheets

• Diallo has a shot on target in five of his last six games

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As we approach Christmas, Sunderland will be pretty happy to sit in 10th spot on their return to the Championship while West Brom occupy a place some will have had pegged for the Black Cats in the final relegation place.

An impressive 3-0 success against Millwall last week made it three wins in four for Sunderland, and that early return to action may have them a bit sharper than the Baggies, who haven't played since November.

New West Brom boss Carlos Corberan was getting a real tune out of his side with three straight wins before the World Cup break so it probably came at just the wrong time, although he's now had a spell of solid training with his squad to get his ideas across even further.

And although it looks pretty bleak in terms of positions, West Brom are 11 points off the final play-off place so it's not totally out of the question that they could make a late push for a spot if they maitain their form under Corberan.

The Baggies are 7/5 favourites to score the away win on Monday night too, with Sunderland a tempting 2/1 given their recent form and the fact their visitors have just two away wins to their name this season.

You've got to say West Brom have the better squad but a lot here will depend on just how match sharp they can be after a month off as opposed to a Sunderland side, at home, who have already hit the ground running last week.

I'm quite tempted to side with the draw at 11/5 here as I think the Baggies will be sharp enough to cope with Sunderland's energy but maybe not quite up to speed enough to get all three points.

Away from the match result, under 2.5 goals is our starting point here for our Bet Builder, as it's clear Corberan is building from the back - with three clean sheets in his three wins before the break.

Player-wise, Ross Stewart returns still as Sunderland's joint-top scorer but after three months out with a thigh injury it's hard to back him to have too much of an impact.

At 7/4 for a shot on target, Jack Clarke is getting the nod for us here, as he's had the joint-most shots on target for Sunderland this season alongside Stewart.

He's not had one for three games but got a shot away against Millwall and he'd previously hit the target in five of six so we could be catching him just at the right time.

To go along with Clarke, we'll add a more expected man to hit the target in Amad Diallo, who has scored on his last two Sunderland appearances but is as big as 6/1 to make it three in a row.

That's a big price for a man in such form, who'll obviously be sharp and who I think Tony Mowbray will start and let him try and continue his hot streak. If West Brom are even just a step off the pace Diallo will catch them out.

For our Bet Builder will take a more reserved approach and back him for a shot on target for what will be the sixth game out of seven.