The 22-year-old midfielder starts a two-match ban after picking up his second red card of the season at former club Wigan last weekend.
Defender John Mensah, who has been struggling with a hamstring injury, is a doubt after picking up a knock in training, but Kieran Richardson and Ahmed Elmohamady are expected to be fit after returning from the DW Stadium with minor problems.
However, Michael Turner (ankle), Craig Gordon (fractured arm) and Fraizer Campbell and David Meyler (both knee) remain on the sidelines.
Black Cats (from): Mignolet, Carson, Onuoha, Bardsley, Richardson, Ferdinand, McCartney, Angeleri, Bramble, Da Silva, Riveros, Henderson, Malbranque, Elmohamady, Zenden, Colback, Reid, Bent, Gyan, Welbeck.
