New boys set for Old Trafford trip

Sunderland new boys Kenwyne Jones and Danny Higginbotham could be included in the squad for the first time for tomorrow’s trip to Manchester United.

Jones’ participation could be delayed by a slight hamstring problem, while Ian Harte is unlikely to be included after he missed the reserve team game last night because his international clearance had not arrived in time, and Andrew Cole is short of match fitness.

Full-back Greg Halford is suspended after being sent off at Luton in midweek, meaning 17-year-old Michael Kay could be involved, while Paul McShane and Kieran Richardson are doubts with shoulder and back problems respectively.

Dean Whitehead (knee) and Carlos Edwards (hamstring) are both defintely out.

Provisional squad: Gordon, Ward, Nosworthy, Kay, McShane, Anderson, Higginbotham, Collins, Wallace, Etuhu, Yorke, Miller, Leadbitter, Richardson, Chopra, Jones, Stokes, Murphy, Connolly, O’Donovan.