Lee Johnson made eight changes to the side that started the weekend League One opening day win against Wigan Athletic, with one of those changes seeing summer signing Alex Pritchard handed his debut.
Pritchard had missed the entirety of pre-season due to Covid and then a stomach bug, but he started against Port Vale in the EFL Cup.
He was one of two debutants, the other being youngster Ellis Taylor who came in at left-back.
Only centre-back Tom Flanagan, Dan Neil, and Luke O'Nien were retained from the side that started against Wigan.
Taylor's inclusion meant Neil moved forward to partner O'Nien in midfield.
Anthony Patterson started in goal at Vale Park, with Ollie Younger at right-back and with Bailey Wright coming in to partner Flanagan.
Jack Diamond came into the side wide on the right, with Josh Hawkes on the left, while Pritchard played in the number ten role and Aiden O'Brien was up front.
The men to make way were Lee Burge, Carl Winchester, Callum Doyle, Corry Evans, Lynden Gooch, Elliot Embleton, Aiden McGeady, and Ross Stewart.
You can follow all the action in our live match blog here.
Tonight's line-up
Sunderland: Patterson, Younger, Wright, Flanagan, Neil, O'Nien, Pritchard, Taylor, Diamond, O'Brien, Hawkes.
Subs: Burge, Evans, Doyle, Gooch, Stewart, Grigg, McGeady
Port Vale: Stone, Jones, Walker, Legge, Smith, Worrall, Garrity, Wilson, Benning, Proctor, Pett.
Subs : Gibbons, Hurst, Johnson, Martin, Amoo, Cass, Bailey
