Tony Mowbray made two changes at Blackpool to the side that started Thursday's win against Wigan. Top scorer Ross Stewart returned to the side, taking the place of Ellis Simms who was recalled yesterday by parent club Everton from his loan spell with Sunderland.
Both Stewart and Simms were among the scorers at Wigan, with Simms scoring the opening goal in the 4-1 win while Stewart came off the bench to score from the penalty spot in the second period. The second change saw Mowbray bring Patrick Roberts - another of the scorers against the Latics - into the starting XI, replacing Abdoullah Ba who dropped to the bench.
Also amongst the subs was Corry Evans, who was rested at Wigan and did not feature in the squad for the that game. And 15-year-old highly-rated academy product Chris Rigg was included on the bench for the first time.
READ MORE: Sunderland's recruitment model now set for first real test after Ellis Simms' departure
Blackpool manager Michael Appleton made four changes, in his case to the side that lost at home to Sheffield United on Thursday. Chris Maxwell, Shayne Lavery, CJ Hamilton, and Jordan Thorniley came into the side, replacing Dan Grimshaw, Jerry Yates, Jake Beesley, and Dom Thompson.
You can follow all the action from Bloomfield Road on our live blog here.
This afternoon's teams
Sunderland: Patterson, Ballard, Wright, O'Nien, Hume. Michut, Neil, Clarke, Amad, Stewart, Roberts
Subs: Bass, Evans, Dajaku, Ba, Bennette, Matete, Rigg
Blackpool: Maxwell, Connolly, Ekpiteta, Thorniley, Husband, Poveda, Patino, Carey, Lavery, Madine, Hamilton
Subs: Grimshaw, Yates, Dougall, Williams, Beesley, Thompson, Wright
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