Muntari makes Sunderland debut at Stoke

SULLEY Muntari will make his Sunderland debut in this afternoon's Premier League away game at Stoke City. 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. 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. John Mensah returns to the starting line-up for the first time since mid-December, and will form part of a five-man defence. 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. There is no place in the side for Ahmed Elmohamady, who drops to the substitutes' bench. STOKE (4-4-2): Begovic; Wilkinson, Shawcross, Huth, Higginbotham; Pennant, Whitehead, Delap, Etherington; Jones, Carew. Subs: Sorensen (gk), Collins, Whelan, Wilson, Pugh, Walters, Shotton. SUNDERLAND (5-4-1): Gordon; Onuoha, Mensah, Ferdinand, Bramble, Bardsley; Henderson, Muntari, Sessegnon, Richardson, Gyan. Subs: Mignolet (gk), Angeleri, Zenden, Riveros, Colback, Elmohamady, Malbranque.

Source: Northern_Echo