Source: Northern_Echo
Muntari makes Sunderland debut at Stoke
SULLEY Muntari will make his Sunderland debut in this afternoon's Premier League away game at Stoke City.[LNB] The Ghana international, who has joined the Black Cats on loan from Inter Milan, will start at the heart of midfield at the Britannia Stadium.[LNB] Muntari replaces Steed Malbranque from the side that lost to Chelsea on Tuesday, but it is Steve Bruce's other alteration that is perhaps of most interest.[LNB] John Mensah returns to the starting line-up for the first time since mid-December, and will form part of a five-man defence.[LNB] Bruce has never previously started with five at the back, but Mensah will play alongside Anton Ferdinand and Titus Bramble, with Phil Bardsley and Nedum Onuoha operating as wing backs.[LNB] There is no place in the side for Ahmed Elmohamady, who drops to the substitutes' bench.[LNB] STOKE (4-4-2): Begovic; Wilkinson, Shawcross, Huth, Higginbotham; Pennant, Whitehead, Delap, Etherington; Jones, Carew.[LNB] Subs: Sorensen (gk), Collins, Whelan, Wilson, Pugh, Walters, Shotton.[LNB] SUNDERLAND (5-4-1): Gordon; Onuoha, Mensah, Ferdinand, Bramble, Bardsley; Henderson, Muntari, Sessegnon, Richardson, Gyan.[LNB] Subs: Mignolet (gk), Angeleri, Zenden, Riveros, Colback, Elmohamady, Malbranque.[LNB]
