CONNOR WICKHAM has been immediately recalled to the Sunderland starting line-up at Aston Villa this afternoon following a one-match ban.

Wickham, who missed Boxing Day’s poor 3-1 defeat at home to Hull City, slots in on the left flank at the expense of Ricky Alvarez, who drops down to the bench.

That is one of three changes by Gus Poyet to the team which performed badly against the Tigers.

Liam Bridcutt has been introduced at the heart of the midfield instead of Lee Cattermole, who is named on the bench. Wes Brown returns to play alongside John O’Shea at the back, with Sebastien Coates missing out.

There is no place in the match-day 18 for £10m man Jack Rodwell.

ASTON VILLA (4-4-1-1): Guzan; Hutton, Vlaar, Clark, Cissokho; Sanchez, Delph, Cleverley, N’Zogbia; Weimann; Benteke. Subs: Given (gk), Okore, Bacuna, Herd, Lowton, Robinson, Grealish.

SUNDERLAND: Pantilimon; Vergini, O’Shea, Brown, Jones; Bridcutt; Johnson, Larsson, Gomez, Wickham; Fletcher. Subs: Mannone (gk), Cattermole, Altidore, Alvarez, Coates, Giaccherini, Buckley.