SUNDERLAND have made five changes from the weekend for this evening's League One tie against Cheltenham Town with Aiden O'Brien coming in from the cold. 

O'Brien is in the starting eleven alongside Niall Huggins, Bailey Wright, Nathan Broadhead and Corry Evans. 

Broadhead and Huggins are handed their first league starts this season while Evans will wear the captain's armband.

Dennis Cirkin and Callum Doyle are not in the matchday squad after failing to pass late fitness tests before the game. 

Cirkin came off in the later stages of the Black Cats win over Bolton Wanderers with a suspected concussion while Doyle was struggling with a stiff back. 

Elliot Embleton, Alex Pritchard and Dan Neil all drop to the bench as part of a reshuffled pack for Lee Johnson's side. 

Sunderland are going in search of their sixth home win in a row against the newly promoted side, managed by former Burnley defender Michael Duff. 

SUNDERLAND XI (4-2-3-1): Thorben Hoffman; Carl Winchester, Bailey Wright, Tom Flanagan, Niall Huggins; Corry Evans, Luke O'Nien; Nathan Broadhead, Aiden O'Brien, Aiden McGeady; Ross Stewart