With progress to the knock-out stage already guaranteed, Lee Johnson made a host of changes for the final EFL Trophy group game against Bradford City.
There were seven personnel changes in all, with Frederik Alves, Elliot Embleton, Leon Dajaku, and Nathan Broadhead, the only survivors from the weekend FA Cup defeat at the hands of Mansfield Town.
With Dennis Cirkin, Corry Evans, Tom Flanagan, and Dan Neil away on international duty, some of the changes were forced upon the Black Cats boss.
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But Johnson also rested key players, and brought in three young players from the U23 ranks.
Thorben Hoffmann replaced Lee Burge in goal, while Lynden Gooch came in at left-back in place of Cirkin.
Luke O'Nien replaced Evans in midfield, and Alex Pritchard came in for Aiden O'Brien.
Frederik Alves shifted across to central defence to take the place of Bailey Wright, and youngster Kenton Richardson filled the gap at right-back.
Ollie Younger replaced Flanagan in central defence, while Harrison Sohna came in for Neil in midfield.
Bradford City boss Derek Adams also made seven changes, in his case to the side that drew against Exeter in the FA Cup at the weekend.
Sam Hornsby, Callum Cooke, Fiacre Kelleher, Gareth Evans, Lee Angol, Reece Staunton, and Kian Scales, came into the side, with Richard O'Donnell, Paudie O'Connor, Niall Canavan, Yann Songo'o, Alex Gilliead, Elliot Watt, and Levi Sutton, making way.
You can follow tonight's game as it happens in our live match blog here.
Tonight's teams
Sunderland: Hoffmann, Richardson, Younger, Alves, Gooch, O'Nien, Sohna, Embleton, Pritchard, Dajaku, Broadhead
Subs: Burge, O'Brien, Winchester, Taylor, Wright, Dyce, Harris
Bradford City: Hornsby, Threlkeld, Cooke, Foulds, Vernam, Kelleher, Evans, Angol, Robinson, Staunton, Scales
Subs: O'Donnell, Canavan, Songo'o, Gilliead, Watt, Sutton
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