With injuries severely limiting his options, Tony Mowbray retained the majority of the players who started at Blackpool last weekend in the league and made just three changes to the Sunderland side for today's FA Cup third round tie at Shrewsbury Town. He opted not to risk star striker Ross Stewart, dropping him to the bench and bringing Costa Rica international Jewison Bennette into side for the first time since his involvement in the World Cup.
He also started Abdoullah Ba, with Jack Clarke making way although he was also included on the bench. The third change saw Alex Bass start in goal, in place of Anthony Patterson.
Patterson was one of two goalkeepers included amongst the subs, the other being youngster Jacob Carney. Fit-again Lynden Gooch was on the bench after recovering from the hamstring problem he suffered against Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day.
READ MORE: Shrewsbury Town vs Sunderland LIVE: Early FA Cup team news from the New Meadow
And the bench also included four players from the club's U18 ranks, 15-year-old midfielder Chris Rigg, 18-year-old midfielder Ben Middlemas, 16-year-old wideman Tom Watson, and 16-year-old striker Mason Cotcher. Shrewsbury boss Steve Cotterill, who spent a short spell at Sunderland as assistant manager to Howard Wilkinson 20 years ago, also made three changes, in his case to the side that lost at home to Fleetwood on New Year's Day.
Ex-Sunderland striker Aiden O'Brien came into the side, along with Killian Phillips and Elliot Bennett. But former Black Cats Tom Flanagan and Carl Winchester missed out - the latter because he is on loan with the Shrews and therefore ineligible - while Rob Street was the other man to make way. You can follow all the action on our live blog here.
Today's teams
Sunderland: Bass, Hume, Ballard, Wright, O'Nien, Neil, Michut, Ba, Roberts, Bennette, Amad
Subs: Carney, Patterson, Stewart, Clarke, Rigg, Cotcher, Middlemas, Watson, Gooch
Shrewsbury Town: Marosi, Pennington, Dunkley, Moore, Bennett, Phillips, Leahy, Shipley, O'Brien, Saydee, Bayliss
Subs: Burgoyne, Street, Pyke, Bloxham, Dacosta, Barlow, Bailey
READ NEXT:
- Sunderland midfielder Jay Matete joins League One promotion chasers on loan
- Kristjaan Speakman confident Sunderland will keep hold of Amad until end of season
- Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray outlines extent of Alex Pritchard's latest injury
- Sunderland 'open to' Ellis Simms returning to Wearside later in the transfer window
- Kristjaan Speakman sets out Sunderland's stance on Ross Stewart's contract situation
- Tony Mowbray says Sunderland in talks with several clubs over striker targets
