Afternoon folks! There's a host of enticing Premier League matches at 3pm today and one of them is at The Hawthorns, where Sam Allardyce takes charge of Sunderland for the first time. No time to waste, let's get to the team news...

SUNDERLAND XI: Pantilimon; Jones, Yedlin, Kaboul, O'Shea; Larsson, Cattermole, Gomez, M'Vila; Borini, Fletcher
Subs: Mannone, Graham, Defoe, Johnson, Brown, Bridcutt, Van Aanholt

Starting with the visitors, Allardyce makes three changes from Sunderland's last match, a 2-2 draw against West Ham. Younes Kaboul, Seb Larsson and Jordi Gomez are in for Sebastian Coates, Jeremain Lens and Ola Toivonen.

For Larsson it is his first Premier League start since August.

Last time at The Hawthorns we saw this memorable Larsson celebration. Let's hope he marks his return with another! pic.twitter.com/6qhyNSD1HX — Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) October 17, 2015

WEST BROM XI: Myhill; Dawson, McAuley, Evans, Brunt; Fletcher, Yacob; McClean, Sessegnon; Berahino, Rondon
Subs: Lindegaard, Olsson, Chester, Gardner, McManaman, Lambert, Anichebe

Tony Pulis makes just one change to his Baggies lineup, with Stephane Sessegnon getting the nod to replace James Morrison, who is out altogether. Sessegnon will be up against his former club today.

West Brom are a little more of a handful than Gibraltar though. Let's clear that up quickly.

Steven Fletcher, fresh from an international hat-trick, warms up at The Hawthorns pic.twitter.com/g5NxesH83x — Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) October 17, 2015

Myself and Barney Corkhill previewed all 10 Premier League games on the Sports Mole Premier League Preview podcast earlier this week and you can listen to our thoughts by hitting play below.

By the way, if you haven't subscribed to the podcast yet, you can find out how to do so right here.

Taking a look at the Premier League table, you can see that Sunderland are still without a win and have just three points to their name from eight games. West Brom are just above the bottom three in 17th and the Black Cats can close to a point of the Baggies if they win today.

PREDICTION: If you had a listen to the clip below, you will have heard me go for a 2-1 Sunderland win. The new manager effect didn't pay off for Liverpool earlier today - they drew 0-0 at Spurs in Jurgen Klopp's first game - but I just think that Allardyce might get the better of Pulis.

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H2H: In 114 meetings, West Brom have won one more match than Sunderland, with 42 triumphs compared to 41 for the Black Cats. Sunderland are unbeaten in the last three contests, two of which have been draws, but before that, the Baggies had won seven out of eight. West Brom are also unbeaten in the last six games to take place at The Hawthorns.

Sunderland have the worst defence in the league with 18 goals conceded but he also needs to sort them out going forward - the Black Cats have had fewer shots on target than any other Premier League side this term (23).

A quick sidenote before kickoff - former Everton manager Howard Kendall has died at the age of 69. Everyone here at SM would like to express our deepest condolences for the man they call the greatest-ever Toffees boss.

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At The Hawthorns, the two teams are out and we're just about ready for kickoff. Sunderland in their green away kit.

KICKOFF! We're underway in the West Midlands.

#HawayTheLads pic.twitter.com/HWVr3EhpsU

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) October 17, 2015

Haway the lads say Sunderland and it's almost a great start for the visitors as Borini picks up the ball on the left and cuts inside before his cross is cleared by Yacob.

TEASER: Sam Allardyce is the third manager to permanently manage five different clubs in the Premier League era. Have a think about the other two, I'll reveal all at some point in the first half.

Kaboul has been the subject of plenty of ridicule this season, but he's just done really well to thwart Berahino as the Englishman looked to spring forward.

BOOKING! First yellow card inside 10 minutes is shown to Craig Dawson for sliding in and bringing down Gomez. The Baggies defender isn't happy but you can see why Martin Atkinson, today's referee, gave it.

Certainly an encouraging start for Sunderland and they have their best chance of the match as Fletcher pokes goalwards from a narrow angle, with Evans making a crucial block to divert it out for a corner.

SAVE! Myhill keeps the score level with an excellent save from Jones's stooped close-range header. West Brom failed to clear their lines from a corner and you would have backed Jones to nod home there.

Allardyce's current mood with his side making an excellent start:

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West Brom have had 60% possession in the opening quarter of an hour, but they have not yet had a shot on goal. Sunderland, on the other hand, have already had four attempts.

STAT: All of West Brom's Premier League goals this season have come in the middle third of matches between 30 and 60 minutes. It does not look like that will change today.

M'Vila's shot is blocked and that makes it five attempts to zero for Sunderland. They've started this game really well and you just wonder if they might live to regret not making the most of this pressure.

SHOT! West Brom have their first effort of the game and it comes from former Sunderland man Sessegnon, who cuts back onto his left foot and drills a yard or so wide.

There's hoards of goals elsewhere in the Premier League - follow @SM_LiveScores on Twitter for instant updates - but none at The Hawthorns as we pass the midway point of the first half. West Brom just coming into the game a little more recently.

OMEN: West Brom have not won any of their last nine league games in the month of October (D4 L5) 😐

Sunderland fans, here is your new manager appearing to knock at an invisible door two feet above his head. I wonder what it means? Spread the play?

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Fletcher slices a 25-yard attempt high and wide, but even if he'd pinged it in the top corner it wouldn't have counted as Atkinson felt that he used his hand to control the ball.

Rondon with a lift that wouldn't look out of place on Strictly Come Dancing:

Salomon Rondon showing that good sportsmanship (and genuine strength) aren't dead. Best save of the weekend. https://t.co/JcsqG922G1 — Betfair (@Betfair) October 17, 2015

Groans around The Hawthorns as the Baggies continue to be frustrated. They might have quelled the Sunderland pressure of the first 10 minutes, but they're hardly causing the Black Cats any problems at the other end.

West Brom are yet to win at home in the league this season and if they fail to claim three points today it will be the first time in Pulis's career that he's gone five straight home games without a win in the same season.

Dear me. Dawson decides to have a shot from about 30 yards and almost hits it out of the stadium. Not the man you want trying to pick out the top corner from range.

To be honest, it's not all that surprising that the game has played out like this. Allardyce's number-one priority would have been to shore up the defence, while Pulis will also be defensively-minded given that only Leicester have conceded more goals than West Brom at home this season.

Risky from Dawson as he clips Borini's heels near the halfway line. It's not a bookable offence, but the former is really on a tight rope now as he's already been yellow-carded.

Best moment of the match for West Brom as Sessegnon's deep cross is headed back across goal by McClean. Rondon gets there first, but it's a little behind him and he can only tamely nod it straight at Pantilimon.

Just the one minute of added time at the end of the first half.

New Black Cats boss Allardyce will certainly be the happier of the two managers, but his side go in level with the match still in the balance.

Jones's close-range header that Myhill tipped over was the only shot on target in the first half, with Sunderland having a total of six shots to West Brom's four. Berahino and Rondon have been quiet in the West Brom attack. Sessegnon was probably the hosts' brightest player, but he's probably been a 5/10, which tells you all you need to know.

This was close for Fletcher but you have to credit Evans for a fantastic last-ditch block just as the Sunderland man pulled the trigger:

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HALF-TIME SCORES: Chelsea 1-0 Villa (Costa), Palace 1-1 West Ham (Cabaye; Jenkinson), Everton 0-2 Man Utd (Schneiderlin, Herrera), Man City 4-1 Bournemouth (Sterling x3, Bony; Murray), Southampton 2-0 Leicester (Fonte, Van Dijk)

Anyone bring Sterling into their fantasy football teams this week? I went for De Bruyne, wrong City player 😒 I have captained Costa, though, so every cloud etc..

A reminder of the main highlight from that first half:

Let's check in on DeAndre Yedlin. pic.twitter.com/8igWKuiWz3

— Fire Everyone (@RobUsry) October 17, 2015

The two teams are back out for the second half and there's no changes from either manager. Surely we'll see the likes of Lambert and Defoe if both attacks continue to have little luck?

KICKOFF! Sunderland get us back underway at The Hawthorns.

Remember, Sunderland are still without a win this season and if they fail to pick up three points today it will be just the third time in their history and the first time since 1977 that they've gone nine games at the start of a campaign without a win.

Not much to report from the opening five minutes of the second half. West Brom had a half-hearted penalty shout, but Kaboul could do very little about the ball striking his elbow.

The Baggies take the lead and it's a shocker from Pantilimon as he fumbles Brunt's cross from the left to gift Berahino a tap-in. The Romanian keeper thinks that he was fouled, but in all honesty there wasn't much contact and he should have been able to hold on to the ball.

Now the pressure's on Allardyce. If Sunderland do lose today then next weekend's Wear-Tyne derby against fellow strugglers Newcastle will be even bigger!

He likes playing at home, does Saido:

76% - 13 of Saido Berahino's 17 Premier League goals for WBA since the start of last season have come at the Hawthorns (76%). Poached.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 17, 2015

The Englishman has also now scored three goals from his last five attempts in the Premier League. He doesn't get many chances, but he's clinical when they arrive.

SUNDERLAND SUB: Allardyce makes his first change, taking off Larsson for Adam Johnson, who makes his 250th Premier League appearance.

Brunt, whose cross led to the goal, delivers again from the left and Rondon gets in front of O'Shea but can't direct it goalwards. It looked like it should have been a corner, but Atkinson points for a goal kick.

. @SunderlandAFC 's players getting quickly acquainted with Sam Allardyce's wrath pic.twitter.com/ipsVjVKREa — PA Dugout (@PA_dugout) October 17, 2015

Sunderland have done absolutely nothing, nada, zilch since falling behind. Surely it's time to give Defoe a go up front?

McClean charges down the West Brom left and does well to dig out a low cross. Rondon controls with his back to goal before turning and crossing. O'Shea is well-placed in the middle to head away.

SUBS: A change apiece as Lambert replaces Rondon for the hosts and Defoe is indeed brought on for Gomez.

MVila with a fantastic tackle to rob the ball from Lambert but he then tries a near-impossible through-ball for Defoe that is easily cut out by the Baggies' backline.

If West Brom are able to hold out for a clean sheet, it will be the ninth time in 16 home league games that they have done so.

SUNDERLAND SUB: Another change in the Black Cats' attack, with Danny Graham on for Fletcher. The latter looks dangerous straight away and his presence at the back post wins the visitors a corner.

SHOT! Sunderland stream forward in numbers and M'Vila opts for a long-range shot instead of searching for a teammate. It's on target and Myhill spills it before the hosts are able to hack clear.

WEST BROM SUB: Goalscorer Berahino comes off to be replaced by Craig Gardner. Pulis trying to keep possession in the middle a little better.

Sunderland scream "PENALTY?!" as Sessegnon takes a heavy touch and has to slide in to deny Jones. Atkinson points for a goal kick as he thinks that the forward did get some of the ball.

BOOKING! Borini into the book for tripping up Dawson. It wasn't a yellow-card offence in itself, but Atkinson gestures that he totted up other fouls by the Italian.

Even though West Brom's only shot on target was Berahino's tap-in from a couple of inches, you have to say that Sunderland haven't done anywhere near enough to deserve anything since going behind. Allardyce will have to instil much more fight in his players.

CHANCE! Johnson drills in a cross from the left and Graham meets the ball with his head but times it horribly, nodding at least 10 yards wide of the target. You could say that he Danny Graham'd that.

Here's the moment just before Berahino scored. Pantilimon dropped it and the striker then quickly turned to poke the ball home.

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THREE minutes of added time. Can Sunderland create one last chance?

West Brom doing a good job of frustrating Sunderland here. The Black Cats have created nothing in the second half.

A scrappy game settled by a scrappy goal as Berahino's tap-in proves the difference at The Hawthorns.

It is the first time in 39 years that Sunderland have failed to win any of their first nine matches in a season and they will go bottom if Newcastle get anything against Norwich tomorrow.

It's a massive task on Allardyce's hands to sort the Black Cats out. As for West Brom, they climb up to 12th with their first home win of the season. Pulis also avoids not winning in five straight home league games for the first time in his career.

Thanks for joining us on SM this afternoon. Be sure to stay tuned for reaction from The Hawthorns and every other Premier League game. There's been plenty to talk about, so do click around to read about the other games. Before I go, let me just point you in the direction of Shane Callaghan's always-hilarious commentary - he's on the late kickoff between Watford and Arsenal. Enjoy!