Freddie Sears, Cole Skuse and Grant Ward return to the Town line-up for this afternoon’s game against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

The Blues look set to start in their usual 4-2-3-1 system with Sears - who scored his first goal of the season for the U23s on Monday - in for Bersant Celina, who drops to the bench, and Ward taking the place of David McGoldrick, who didn’t travel due to the knock he suffered against Wolves last week.

Cole Skuse returns in the centre of midfield alongside Callum Connolly for Stephen Gleeson, who drops to the bench alongside new signing Mustapha Carayol.

Sunderland make five changes from the team which lost 3-1 at Birmingham on Tuesday with all three deadline day signings, keeper Lee Camp, midfielder Ovie Ejaria and striker Ashley Fletcher, starting. Veteran defender John O’Shea returns after illness, while Billy Jones is also back in the side.

Sunderland: Camp, Jones, O’Shea (c), Browning, Cattermole, Robson, Oviedo, Matthews, Ejaria, Fletcher, Asoro. Subs: Ruiter, Maja, Honeyman, McGeady, Gooch, Love, LuaLua.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence, Carter-Vickers, Chambers (c), Knudsen, Skuse, Connolly, Sears, Waghorn, Ward, Garner. Subs: M Crowe, Iorfa, Celina, Webster, Hyam, Gleeson, Carayol. Referee: Darren England (South Yorkshire).

Photo: TWTD

RaymondovicBlue added 14:29 - Feb 3 If there is to be any credibility from this season we have to win this week and next ... I really hope that Ward and Sears come to the party and play well ... because I haven't really seen that for too long for either of them? Look forward to listening on Internet Radio - certainly good to see some impact players on the bench ... but they need more than 7 minutes once we are losing .. please Mick .. pretend it's my birthday eh?

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planetblue_2011 added 14:33 - Feb 3 1-1 today time for a Waghorn goal⚽️
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ShropshireBluenago09 added 14:43 - Feb 3 WTF - No Celina or Webster
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RaymondovicBlue added 14:44 - Feb 3 And I know some players like to wear gloves on cold days - but the ref might keep too close an eye on you if you wear THOSE Freddie??
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RaymondovicBlue added 14:45 - Feb 3 Having done them 5-2 earlier ... it's surely time for a repeat performance ... and repeat tactics from the off ?? (They wont be as bad, and we might not be quite as good - but it's GOT to be the way to go?)
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TimmyH added 14:46 - Feb 3 I think Webster is still injured...Ward and Sears starting doesn't fill me with confidence, hopefully I'll be proved wrong.
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Lord_Mac added 14:49 - Feb 3 Only 6 subs??
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jas0999 added 14:51 - Feb 3 Should be more than good enough to beat an extremely poor Sunderland. Six points from this week and next an absolute must.
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runningout added 15:22 - Feb 3 our midfield needs to be more arrogant and be up for it
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braveblue added 15:29 - Feb 3 Skuse straight in. Sears for Celina!!!!!!!!!!
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blueboy1981 added 15:37 - Feb 3 ........ another antagonistic team selection from McCarthy - Skuse ? Sears ?
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jas0999 added 15:38 - Feb 3 One up!
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runningout added 15:48 - Feb 3 that's a handy finish to end first half..
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jas0999 added 15:49 - Feb 3 Two up now.
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BanksterDebtSlave added 16:04 - Feb 3 Best to save the blubs until the final whistle if you must !
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bluelady added 16:37 - Feb 3 I see Skuse back to being the scape goat again - Gleeson is NOT better than him!
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