Larsson and Gardner return.

Seb Larsson and Craig Gardner both return for this afternoon's visit of Aston Villa.

The pair are back in the starting line-up with Gardner moving back into his favoured midfield position.

Larsson, meanwhile, is preferred to James McClean, while Jack Colback continues at left-back ahead of Danny Rose.

Sunderland: Mignolet, Bardsley, Colback, Cuellar, O'Shea, Cattermole (c), Gardner, Larsson, Johnson, Sessegnon, Fletcher.

Subs: Rose, Campbell, Kilgallon, Vaughan, McClean, Saha, Westwood.

Aston Villa: Guzan, Lowton, Bennett, Vlaar (c), Westwood, Clark, Ireland, Bannan, Weimann, Agbonlahor, Benteke.

Subs: Albrighton, Holman, Delph, Bowery, Stevens, Lichaj, Given.