GUS POYET has shuffled his pack ahead of Sunderland’s Capital One Cup third round against Stoke City tonight.
Costel Pantilimon, Billy Jones, Liam Bridcutt, Jordi Gomez, Sebastian Coates, Jozy Altidore and Will Buckley all come into the side after Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Burnley.
Jones, a summer signing from West Bromwich Albion, will start at left back while Jozy Altidore will have another opportunity to impress Poyet – and the home support.
Charis Mavrias is on the bench alongside new signing Ricky Alvarez.
For Stoke, Phil Bardsley makes his first trip to the Stadium of Light since making the switch from Wearside to Staffordshire in the summer.
SUNDERLAND (4-3-3): Pantilimon; Vergini, Coates, O’Shea, Jones; Gomez, Bridcutt, Rodwell; Johnson, Altidore, Buckley. Substitutes: Mannone, van Aanholt, Cattermole, Larsson, Mavrias, Graham, Alvarez.
STOKE CITY (4-2-3-1): Butland; Bardsley, Huth, Shawcross, Muniesa; N’Zonzi, Ireland; Diouf, Adam, Assaidi; Arnautovic. Substitutes: Sorensen, Pieters, Moses, Sidwell, Crouch, Bojan, Wilkinson.
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