JASON DENAYER will make his Sunderland debut alongside Jan Kirchhoff when the Black Cats make their maiden appearance in the revamped Checkatrade Trophy tomorrow.

Sunderland travel to Rochdale for the opening game of the controversial tournament, and David Moyes is keen to use the fixture to provide some much-needed match practice to two of his senior stars.

While participating clubs from the Premier League and Championship have to name at least six Under-21 players in their side, the rest of their starting line-up can be comprised of over-age players with first-team experience.

As a result, both Denayer and Kirchhoff will line up at Spotland, although the game has come too soon for Victor Anichebe, who signed as a free agent on Friday, and record signing Didier Ndong will also not be involved because he has only just returned from international duty in Gabon.

Denayer signed a season-long loan from Manchester City on transfer deadline-day, and with the centre-half not having played any senior football this season, Moyes has instructed development-team coach Robbie Stockdale to select him tomorrow.

“We are just waiting on the fitness of a couple, but we are hopeful Jason Denayer will be involved after seeing how he has come through a couple of days training,” said Stockdale, who could also include full-back Billy Jones in his starting XI.

Kirchhoff sustained a hamstring strain in Sunderland’s penultimate pre-season friendly against Montpellier, and has missed the first three games of the Premier League campaign.

He returned to full training last week though, and will feature tomorrow in an attempt to thrust himself into contention for Monday’s league game with Everton.

“Jan Kirchhoff will be involved,” said Stockdale. “For us, it is perfect. It works with the (Everton) game not being until the following Monday.

“This week, it has worked out quite well for us. The players will play (at Rochdale), then recovery and have a day off, and then Friday all the international boys will be back. It gives us a nice lead into the game on Monday night.”

As well as taking on Rochdale, Sunderland will also face Hartlepool and Notts County in the group stage of the Checkatrade Trophy, with the winners advancing to the knock-out matches.

Suspensions from other competitions cannot be served tomorrow, so Ndong’s one-match ban, which accompanied him from France, means he will still be unavailable for Monday’s game with Everton.

Ndong was in international action over the weekend, helping Gabon record a 2-1 win in Sudan, and the midfielder is set to be one of three Sunderland players who will miss up to six matches at the start of next year because of their participation in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Gabon qualify automatically as hosts, and Wahbi Khazri and Lamine Kone were both celebrating at the weekend as their respective nations booked their place in the tournament.

Khazri was on the scoresheet as Tunisia cruised to a 4-1 win over Liberia in their final qualifier, while Kone helped Ivory Coast record the 1-1 draw with Sierra Leone that guaranteed their participation in the finals.

Papy Djilobodji could also be involved in the tournament that starts on January 14, although he has not been called up by Senegal for more than a year.