Bruce could resist change

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce could name the same side that beat Bolton last weekend for tomorrow’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa at the Stadium of Light.

Teenage striker Connor Wickham impressed on his first Premier League start while Phil Bardsley had to settle for a place on the bench at the Reebok Stadium on his return from a four-match ban and will be pushing for a start.

Titus Bramble is suspended pending the outcome of 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, Bardsley, Richardson, Turner, Laing, Cattermole, Gardner, Vaughan, Larsson, Colback, Elmohamady, Meyler, Sessegnon, Bendtner, Wickham, Ji, McClean, Cook.