Lee Johnson made two changes to the side that beat Swindon Town in midweek.
He handed centre-back Ollie Younger his League debut, with the 21-year-old replacing Lynden Gooch who underwent a fitness test this morning on the calf injury he suffered on Tuesday but was not ready to be included in the matchday 18.
The other change saw Aiden O'Brien return to the starting line-up, and he replaced Josh Scowen who dropped to the bench.
Johnson also included former Hartlepool midfielder Josh Hawkes on the bench for a League game for the first time since he joined the Wearsiders last summer.
Rochdale boss Brian Barry-Murphy made one change to the team that began Tuesday night's defeat at Hull City.
Forward Kwadwo Baah came into the side in place of midfielder Alex Newby.
Former Sunderland centre-back Paul McShane, who spent two seasons on Wearside before leaving in 2009, started for Dale.
We'll have live updates as they happen from the Stadium of Light in our blog here throughout the day, with all the post-match reaction and and analysis after the final whistle.
Today's teams
Sunderland: Burge, Power, Sanderson, Younger, McFadzean, Winchester, O'Nien, Jones, O'Brien, McGeady, Wyke.
Subs: Matthews, Maguire, Scowen, Diamond, Neil, Vokins, Hawkes
Rochdale: Bazunu, McLaughlin, Osho, McShane, O'Connell, Morley, Humphrys, Keohane, Grant, Baah, Shaughnessy.
Subs: Lynch, McNulty, Newby, Roberts, Done, Hopper, Odoh.
