Anton Ferdinand and Andy Reid both miss out this afternoon after coming down with sickness bugs.
Dean Whitehead starts and looks set to play at right back in a re-shuffled back four with Danny Collins and expected to partner Nyron Nosworthy.
There are three major surprises on the bench where Rade Prica makes his first appearance in the first team squad this season. And youngsters Jack Colback and Jordan Henderson also feature alongside Dwight Yorke amongst the subs
Darryl Murphy earns himself a place in the starting line-up and is likley to play on the left flank.
Whitehead takes over captaincy duties from Kieran Richardson.
Sunderland: Fulop,Whitehead,Collins,Nosworthy,Bardsley,Malbranque,Tainio,Richardson,Murphy,Cisse,Jones
Colgan,Yorke,Henderson,Colback,Prica,Edwards,Healy
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