Bruce keeps faith with season-openers

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce kept faith with the men who opened the season with a draw at Liverpool as he looked to secure his first derby win over Newcastle.

Defender John O’Shea, who was rated at 50-50 after recovering from a hamstring problem, did not even make the bench, and only Wes Brown and Sebastian Larsson of the club’s summer signings were included in the starting line-up.