Lee Johnson included two of his summer signings in his starting line-up for the season-opener against Wigan.
On-loan Manchester City man Callum Doyle started in central defence, while newly-appointed skipper Corry Evans played as one of the two holding midfielders in front of the back four.
With no senior specialist full-backs to call upon, midfielder Carl Winchester played at right-back while fellow midfielder Dan Neil started at left-back.
Lee Burge recovered from the elbow injury that had kept him out of the final pre-season friendly to start in goal.
Tom Flanagan partnered Doyle, while Luke O'Nien played alongside Evans.
Lynden Gooch started wide on the right, with Aiden McGeady on the opposite flank.
Elliot Embleton played in the number ten role, with Ross Stewart leading the line.
Summer signing Alex Pritchard had not played a minute in pre-season due to Covid and then illness, but he was included on the bench as was Bailey Wright, Aiden O'Brien, Will Grigg, Jack Diamond, and Josh Hawkes.
Wigan boss Leam Richardson included two ex-Sunderland men in his starting XI, with Max Power in midfield and Charlie Wyke up front.
Winger Jordan Jones, who spent a loan spell on Wearside last season, was on the bench.
You can follow the match in our live blog here.
Today's line up
Sunderland: Burge, Winchester, Flanagan, Doyle, Neil, Evans, O'Nien, Gooch, Embleton, McGeady, Stewart.
Subs: Patterson, O'Brien, Pritchard, Grigg, Diamond, Wright, Hawkes.
Wigan: Amos, Darikwa, Whatmough, Long, Pearce, Power, Naylor, Lang, Keane, Edwards, Wyke.
Subs: Jones, Robinson, Cousins, Jones, Massey, Humprhys, Aasgaard.
