Lewis Grabban and Duncan Watmore will lead the line today at Brentford.
The duo start at Griffin Park with in-form Aiden McGeady and George Honeyman also selected in the final third.
Lee Cattermole and Didier Ndong resume their positions in central midfield, with Lamine Kone returning to action after missing last weekend’s draw due to illness.
The Ivory Coast international partners John O’Shea in defence, as Billy Jones and Bryan Oviedo operate in the full-back berths.
Jason Steele starts in goal, but Ty Browning and Jonny Williams miss out.
Sunderland: Steele, Jones, Oviedo, Kone, O’Shea, Cattermole, Ndong, Honeyman, McGeady, Watmore, Grabban.
Substitutes: Ruiter, Rodwell, Vaughan, McManaman, Matthews, Gibson, Gooch.