Sunderland boss Steve Bruce could welcome back four key players for the game.
Skipper Lee Cattermole returns after sitting out the 2-0 defeat at Manchester United through suspension, while loan signing Danny Welbeck is also available having been ineligible to play against his parent club.
Kieran Richardson may return after missing out through illness at Old Trafford, while central defender Titus Bramble could be added to a squad which included youngsters Blair Adams, Adam Reed and Jordan Cook on Boxing Day following his return to training from a knee injury.
However, John Mensah (ankle), Michael Turner and Fraizer Campbell (both knee) remain on the sidelines.
Blackpool's Boxing Day postponement at home to Liverpool means captain Charlie Adam will now have to sit out the trip to the north east.
Adam picked up his fifth booking of the season on December 11 at Stoke and has twice been denied the chance to serve his one-match suspension.
Matt Gilks, Chris Basham, Billy Clarke (all knee), Marlon Harewood (hamstring) and Louis Almond (shoulder) remain sidelined by injury.
Sunderland (from): Gordon, Mignolet, Onuoha, Bardsley, Richardson, Angeleri, Ferdinand, Bramble, Da Silva, Cattermole, Riveros, Henderson, Malbranque, Elmohamady, Welbeck, Zenden, Bent, Gyan, Meyler, Adams, Cook, Reed.
Blackpool (from): Kingson, Eardley, Cathcart, Crainey, Evatt, Vaughan, Varney, Taylor-Fletcher, Campbell, Grandin, Phillips, Edwards, Carney, Euell, Sylvestre, Keinan, Southern, Ormerod, Halstead, Baptiste.
