Malbranque replaces Henderson for Sunderland

STEVE BRUCE has handed Steed Malbranque an immediate chance to prove he is the man to play on the right flank for Sunderland tonight. Malbranque, who was named as a substitute against Wigan on Saturday, replaces the injured Jordan Henderson in the Black Cats' team to face Portsmouth. Otherwise Bruce has gone for the same team against a Pompey team threatened with a winding up order in the High Court tomorrow. PORTSMOUTH (4-4-2): James; Finnan, Ben-Haim, Rocha, Wilson; Yebda, Basinas, Diop, O'Hara; Piquionne, Dindane. Subs: Ashdown (gk), Mullins, Owusu-Abeiye, Webber, Hughes, Kanu, Belhadj. SUNDERLAND (4-4-2): Gordon; Hutton, Turner, Kilgallon, McCartney; Malbranque, Cattermole, Cana, Reid; Jones, Bent. Subs: Carson, Bardsley, Zenden, Da Silva, Meyler, Benjani, Liddle.

Source: Northern_Echo