SUNDERLAND manager Jack Ross has made one change to his side's starting line-up for this afternoon's FA Cup first-round tie at Port Vale.

Jerome Sinclair returns to the Black Cats' starting side at Vale Park, and is set to start as a lone striker as Sunderland take on League Two opposition.

Sinclair replaces Josh Maja, who drops down to the substitutes' bench after starting last weekend's league win at Plymouth.

Tom Flanagan gets the nod to partner Jack Baldwin at centre-half despite the availability of Glenn Loovens, with Adam Matthews and Reece James continuing in the full-back positions.

Bryan Oviedo and Max Power return to the squad, but the duo will have to be content with a place on the substitutes' bench.


PORT VALE (4-4-2): Brown; Clark, Rawlinson, Smith, Legge; Conlon, Vassell, Joyce, Hannant; Pope, Whitfield.

Subs: Hornby (gk), Montano, Kay, Oyeleke, Miller, Dodds, Hardcastle.

SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1): McLaughlin; Matthews, Flanagan, Baldwin, James; Honeyman, McGeouch; Gooch, Maguire, McGeady; Sinclair. 

Subs: Ruiter (gk), Oviedo, Loovens, Ozturk, O'Nien, Power, Maja.