Tony Mowbray opted to name a full-strength line-up against Premier League Fulham for what was Sunderland's first appearance in the fourth round of the FA Cup since 2015. Black Cats boss Mowbray made just one change to the side that had started last weekend's 2-0 home win against Middlesbrough in the league, and that was forced upon him.
On-loan Paris St Germain midfielder Edouard Michut came into midfield in place of Corry Evans, who had limped out of the game early on at the Stadium of Light. A subsequent scan found that Evans had ruptured his cruciate ligament, meaning he is expected to sit out the remainder of the season.
Mowbray had suggested that Aji Alese might not be ready to start a second game so soon after playing 90 minutes against Boro given that he had not trained all week, and prior to that he had been out of action with an ankle issue since before Christmas, but he kept his place at left-back. Patrick Roberts also started the game against the club where he started his career.
READ MORE: Fulham vs Sunderland LIVE: All the pre-match FA Cup build-up from Craven Cottage
New signing Pierre Ekwah, who joined this week from West Ham, was included on the bench, as was Niall Huggins who was passed fit after recovering from an ankle injury, Abdoullah Ba and Jewison Ba. Mowbray also included youngsters Caden Kelly, Zak Johnson, Tom Watson, and Chris Rigg - the latter having made his senior debut in the third round win at Shrewsbury Town.
Isaac Lihadji, who arrived from Lille this week, was not involved, while latest loan signing Joe Gelhardt was cup-tied having played for Leeds United in this competition and was therefore not eligible. Fulham boss Marco Silva made seven changes to the side that lost at home to Spurs on Monday.
Only Kenny Tete, Andreas Pereira, Joao Palhinha, and Issa Diop were retained from that line-up. In came Marek Rodak, Layvin Kurzawa, Tosin, Harry Wilson, Tom Cairney, Manor Solomon, and Carlos Vinicius, with Bernd Leno, Harrison Reed, Tim Ream, Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Willian, Anthonee Robinson, and ex-Newcastle man Aleksandar Mitrovic making way.
You can follow all the action on our live blog here.
Today's teams
Sunderland: Patterson, Hume, Ballard, Batth, Alese, Neil, Michut, Roberts, Amad, Clarke, Stewart
Subs: Bass, Huggins, Ba, Bennette, Rigg, Kelly, Ekwah, Johnson, Watson
Fulham: Rodak, Tete, Diop, Kurzawa, Tosin, Palhinha, Cairney, Wilson, Pereira, Solomon, Vinicius
Subs: Leno, Duffy, Reed, Mitrovic, Ream, De Cordova-Reid, Willian, James, Harris
READ NEXT:
- Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray on the 'strange' implementation of VAR in the FA Cup
- Sunderland's Patrick Roberts looks ahead to his return to Fulham in the FA Cup this weekend
- Sunderland confirm Joe Gelhardt loan deal as they see off late competition to land Leeds United man
- Sunderland allow young defender to join National League North Darlington on loan
- Sunderland weighing up contract extension for injured skipper Corry Evans
