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.

Magpies manager Alan Pardew made a single change to the team which started last Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Arsenal as Gabriel Obertan came in for striker Demba Ba, but there was a seat on the bench for the first time for Sylvain Marveaux.

Sunderland: Mignolet, Bardsley, Brown, Ferdinand, Richardson, Larsson, Cattermole, Colback, Elmohamady, Sessegnon, Gyan. Subs: Westwood, Gardner, Wickham, Vaughan, Ji, Bramble, Laing.

Newcastle: Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye, Barton, Obertan, Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi. Subs: Harper, Williamson, Lovenkrands, Gosling, Ba, Best, Marveaux.

Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire)