Alex Pritchard returned from injury as Alex Neil made two changes to the Sunderland side that drew at Lincoln City a fortnight ago. Pritchard was making his comeback from the ankle injury he suffered at Charlton at the beginning of March, and he replaced Dan Neil in the Black Cats' starting XI.
The second change saw another player return from injury, with centre-back Danny Batth coming into the side for his first appearance under Neil, and he took the place of Lynden Gooch. Batth had been struggling with an ankle issue ever since he signed in the January window, and his last outing came at Cheltenham in early February.
The changes suggested that Sunderland would change shape to a back four, with Bailey Wright partnering Batth, and with Carl Winchester and Dennis Cirkin the full-backs. Neil also included Nathan Broadhead on the bench, with the on-loan Everton striker passed fit to be involved after recovering from the hamstring niggle he picked up at Charlton.
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Gillingham boss Neil Harris made one change to the side that started last weekend's win at Accrington Stanley. Stuart O'Keefe missed out through injury, with teenage midfielder Josh Chambers handed his first League start.
You can follow the game as it happens in our live blog here, plus get all the post-match analysis and reaction.
Today's teams
Sunderland: Patterson, Winchester, Wright, Batth, Cirkin, Evans, O'Nien, Roberts, Pritchard, Clarke, Stewart
Subs: Hoffmann, Embleton, Broadhead, Gooch, Xhemajli, Neil, Matete
Gillingham: Chapman, Tucker, Ehmer, Masterson, Jackson, Chambers, Thompson, Lee, Tutonda, Kelman, Oliver
Subs: Dahlberg, Maghoma, Akehurst, Reeves, Dickson-Peters
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