After making eight changes for the midweek Carabao Cup win at Wigan, Lee Johnson reverted to virtually the same side that drew in the league at Fleetwood last weekend.
There were two alterations to the side that began at Highbury Stadium, however, with Alex Pritchard and Tom Flanagan in the starting XI this afternoon.
Pritchard replaced Lynden Gooch, who presumably missed out through injury as he was not even included on the bench.
And Flanagan, who was suspended last Saturday, returned to the side in place of Bailey Wright in central defence.
Niall Huggins limped out of Sunderland's win at Wigan, but he was suffering from nothing more serious than cramp and he was included on the bench this afternoon.
Bolton boss Ian Evatt named an unchanged starting XI, sticking with the playes who lost 2-0 at home to Rotherham United last weekend.
Former Sunderland academy graduate Joel Dixon started in goal for the Trotters.
You can follow all the action as it happens in our live match blog here.
Today's teams
Sunderland: Hoffmann, Winchester, Flanagan, Doyle, Cirkin, O'Nien, Neil, McGeady, Pritchard, Embleton, Stewart
Subs: Burge, Huggins, Evans, Alves, Dajaku, Broadhead, Wright
Bolton: Dixon, Jones, Santos, Johnston, Gordon, Williams, Sheehan, Isgrove, Sarcevic, Afolayan, Doyle
Subs: Gilks, John, Delfouneso, Lee, Kachunga, Thomason, Baptiste
