JAMES McCLEAN has been named among the Sunderland substitutes at the Stadium of Light this afternoon for the visit of Aston Villa.
In a bid to make the Black Cats more creative, manager Martin O'Neill has gone with Seb Larsson, Stephane Sessegnon and Adam Johnson providing the supply line to striker Steven Fletcher.
Full-back Phil Bardsley and Craig Gardner look most likely to provide the width from defence, although O'Neill does have the option of playing Jack Colback there too.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, include former Middlesbrough left-back Joe Bennett in their starting line-up, but former Sunderland striker Darren Bent misses out with a foot problem.
SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1): Mignolet; Gardner, O'Shea, Cuellar, Bardsley; Cattermole, Colback; Larsson, Sessegnon, Johnson; Fletcher. Subs (not used): Rose, Campbell, Kilgallon, Vaughan, Westwood (gk), McClean, Saha.
ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Guzan; Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Bennett; Bannan, Westwood; Weimann, Ireland, Agbonlahor; Benteke. Subs (not used): Given (gk), Albrighton, Holman, Delph, Bowery, Stevens, Lichaj.
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