Black Cats without Bendtner

Sunderland will be without striker Nicklas Bendtner for their Barclays Premier League visit to his parent club Arsenal on Sunday.

The Denmark international is ineligible under the terms of his loan agreement with the Gunners, and that could present an opportunity to summer signings Connor Wickham, who has recovered from a groin problem, and Ji Dong-won.

Full-back Phil Bardsley completes his four-match ban and Titus Bramble is suspended pending police and club investigations, while Craig Gordon and Fraizer Campbell (both knee) continue to work their way back to fitness.

Provisional squad: Mignolet, Westwood, O’Shea, Brown, Richardson, Turner, Laing, Cattermole, Gardner, Vaughan, Larsson, Colback, Elmohamady, Meyler, Sessegnon, Wickham, Ji, McClean, Cook.