Bruce sweating on Bent fitness

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will make a late decision on Darren Bent’s fitness ahead of tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League opener against Birmingham at the Stadium of Light.

The striker had to withdraw from the England squad in midweek following a back spasm and Bruce rates him as 50/50.

If Bent is not fit then new signing Danny Welbeck and youngster Martyn Waghorn will hope to start up front while Simon Mignolet is certain to be given the nod in goal with Craig Gordon sidelined by a broken arm.

Titus Bramble, Nedum Onouha, Marcos Angeleri, Paulo da Silva and Cristian Riveros will all hope to make their debuts but Andy Reid (Achilles) is out and George McCartney and Anton Ferdinand have not been given squad numbers.

Team (from): Mignolet, Bardsley, Richardson, Turner, Mensah, Cattermole, Zenden, Malbranque, Campbell, Henderson, Bent, Angeleri, Da Silva, Onuoha, Riveros, Welbeck, Meyler, Bramble, Carson, Colback, Waghorn, Al-Muhammadi.