Leon Dajaku made his first Sunderland start as one of three changes Lee Johnson made to the side that thrashed Cheltenham in midweek.
The on-loan Union Berlin man - who came off the bench to score his first goal for the club in that win against the Robins - replaced Aiden McGeady in the starting XI, with McGeady missing from the matchday squad through injury.
Elliot Embleton returned to the side, taking the place of Nathan Broadhead who picked up a hamstring problem on Tuesday night.
And the third change saw Dennis Cirkin return at left-back after missing the Cheltenham game due to the after-effects of concussion, with Niall Huggins making way.
Bailey Wright kept his place in the side alongside Tom Flanagan in central defence with Callum Doyle having to settle for a place on the bench on his return from the back issue that kept him out in midweek.
Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley named an unchanged starting XI, sticking with the same side that lost 2-1 at Burton Albion on Tuesday.
You can follow all the action from Fratton Park in our live blog here.
Today's teams
Sunderland: Hoffmann, Winchester, Flanagan, Wright, Cirkin, Evans, O'Nien, O'Brien, Embleton, Dajaku, Stewart
Subs: Burge, Taylor, Pritchard, Neil, Huggins, Alves, Doyle
Portsmouth: Bazunu, Freeman, Raggett, Williams, Romeo, Tunnicliffe, Morrell, Brown, Harness, Curtis, Marquis
Subs: Bass, Downing, Thompson, Harrison, Hackett, Hirst, Jacobs
