Oliver Younger is making his first start for the Black Cats in League One this season.
The centre-half has impressed Lee Johnson when called upon this season and has been rewarded with a start against struggling Rochdale this afternoon.
Younger started his career at Burnley and came through the youth ranks there.
The 21-year-old had a loan spell over in Ireland for St. Patrick's Athletic before leaving Turf Moor at the end of the 2019-20 campaign.
He signed for Sunderland in September 2020 and went straight into the Under-23's side.
The centre-half was impressive on his debut against Fleetwood Town in the EFL Trophy defeat.
Younger went close to scoring for the Black Cats and later went off with an injury in the 2-1 defeat.
He also made a substitute appearance against MK Dons in the same competition earlier this year.
