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Paolo Di Canio has made two changes from last week's debacle at Villa Park. Stephane Sessegnon is of course suspended, so James McClean comes in for him, while Jack Colback replaces Phil Bardsley.
It's hard to know how the team will line-up at this stage. They may go for a straight 4-5-1 or, alternatively Di Canio may send his his team out in a more familiar 4-4-1-1 formation with Adam Johnson or Craig Gardner behind Danny Graham.
Sunderland (4-5-1): Simon Mignolet; Jack Colback, John O'Shea, Carlos Cuellar, Danny Rose; Adam Johnson, Alfred N'Diaye, Seb Larsson Craig Gardner, James McClean; Danny Graham
Substitutes: Keiren Westwood, Matt Kilgallon, Phil Bardsley, Kader Mangane, Liam Marrs, David Vaughan, Mikael Mandron
Meanwhile Tony Pulis has made a couple of enforced changes to the Stoke side that beat Norwich last Saturday. Andy Wilkinson and Glenn Whelan are both out, so Marc Wilson and former Sunderland midfielder Dean Whitehead come in.
Former Black Cats men Thomas Sorensen and Kenwyne Jones feature on the bench for the Potters
Stoke (4-4-2): Asmir Begovic; Ryan Shotton, Robert Huth, Ryan Shawcross, Marc Wilson; Jonathan Walters, Dean Whitehead, Charles N'Zonzi, Charlie Adam; Peter Crouch, Cameron Jerome
Subsitutes: Thomas Sorensen, Geoff Cameron, Michael Kightly, Matthew Ethrington, Wilson Palacios, Kenwyne Jones, Michael Owen
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