Sunderland boss Steve Bruce could name the same side that beat Bolton last weekend for the game against Villa.
Teenage striker Connor Wickham impressed on his first Premier League start while Phil Bardsley had to settle for a place on the bench at the Reebok Stadium on his return from a four-match ban and will be pushing for a start.
Titus Bramble is suspended pending the outcome of police and club investigations, while Craig Gordon and Fraizer Campbell (both knee) continue to work their way back to fitness.
On-loan Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas has been included in the Villa squad.
Jenas has yet to make his debut for Villa since his temporary move in August because of thigh and Achilles problems but is finally fit.
Full-back Alan Hutton has recovered from the head wound which required seven stitches against West Brom last weekend but midfielder Barry Bannan is suspended while the club conduct an internal inquiry after he was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and bailed last Sunday.
Sunderland (from): Mignolet, Westwood, O'Shea, Brown, Bardsley, Richardson, Turner, Laing, Cattermole, Gardner, Vaughan, Larsson, Colback, Elmohamady, Meyler, Sessegnon, Bendtner, Wickham, Ji, McClean, Cook.
Aston Villa (from): Given, Guzan, Hutton, Collins, Dunne, Clark, Warnock, Beye, Herd, Delph, Petrov, Ireland, Jenas, Albrighton, Gardner, Bent, Heskey, Agbonlahor, N'Zogbia, Weimann, Delfouneso.
