David Moyes has selected his starting XI to face Stoke City with Lamine Kone missing out due to injury.
The Sunderland managed had hoped the robust centre back would be fit to face the Potters, but instead Papy Djilobodji will form the core of Sunderland's defence with captain John O’Shea.
Steven Pienaar makes the bench meaning the Black Cats have eight first-team players in the treatment room – Vito Mannone, Jason Denayer, Jan Kirchhoff, Lee Cattermole, Seb Larsson, Adnan Januzaj and Fabio Borini joining Kone - with Paddy McNair and Jack Rodwell starting alongside Didier Ndong in a three-man midfield.
Duncan Watmore, who scored for England’s under-21s during the international break, and Wahbi Khazri have been tasked with supplying lone frontman Jermain Defoe.
Sunderland: Pickford, Djilobodji, O’Shea, Manquillo, van Aanholt, McNair, Ndong, Rodwell, Watmore, Khazri, Defoe.
Substitutes: Mika, Jones, Love, Pienaar, Anichebe, Asoro, Gooch.