Sunderland 2 Rotherham 1: Highlights as Jobe Bellingham goals give Cats first win of the season

So Mowbray has named an unchanged side following last weekend’s defeat at Preston.

It means Bradley Dack will once again start in a false nine position, with Hemir on the bench.

Lynden Gooch is back in the squad following a minor injury and has replaced Chris Rigg, who suffered a concussion playing for the under-21s side on Monday, on the bench.

Rotherham have made two changes following their 2-2 draw against Blackburn last weekend.

New signing Christ Tiehi has been granted international clearance and will start for The Millers, while Andre Green has recovered from an injury.

The suspended Fred Onyedinma and Ben Wiles drop out of the starting XI.

“Reflecting on the start of the season, while results haven’t gone our way, there have been plenty of positives to take.

"We’ve dominated games in terms of possession and efforts on goal, but ultimately, we’re judged on results. We have to keep believing that what we’re doing is right, and that we’ll start picking up points sooner rather than later."

Sunderland are still searching for striker additions in the final two weeks of the transfer window, with the club also keen to add more cover in central midfield.

Mowbray said in Thursday’s press conference he remains confident new additions will arrive in the weeks to come, but admitted it was unlikely anyone would sign before today’s match.

The Black Cats boss also said Sunderland are looking at loan deals, potentially from Premier League clubs.

In terms of potential outgoings, Alex Pritchard looks increasingly likely to leave Sunderland this summer, with just a year left on his Black Cats contract.

Danny Batth and Lynden Gooch are also into the final 12 months of their deals and have attracted interest from elsewhere.

Here are our predicted line-ups for today’s match:

Predicted Sunderland XI: Patterson, Hume, Ballard, O’Nien, Cirkin, Neil, Ekwah, Roberts, Dack, Clarke, Hemir

Predicted Rotherham XI: Johansson, Humphreys, Morrison, Blackett, Lembikisa, Rathbone, Cafu, Odoffin, Bramall, Wiles, Hugill

Here’s what Rotherham boss Matt Taylor has had to say about Sunderland ahead of today’s match:

“They’re a fantastic team with a good manager, so we’re looking forward to the challenge.

“I’ve had the privilege of watching both of their games and they didn’t deserve to lose either with the chances they’re creating. Hopefully that continues until certainly after this weekend but we’ve got to find a way to put them under pressure and get them on the back foot.

“We saw last season what a good team they are and they got into the play-offs, so there is a lot to admire about the opposition but I want to be talking about us in a footballing sense, as opposed to everything else we’ve been discussing recently.

“I shouldn’t have to say a word to the players on Saturday. When you turn up at Sunderland in that stadium with that fan base you want to play well.”

Rotherham finished 19th in the Championship last season and have taken one point from their first two league games this campaign.

The Millers squandered a two-goal lead during a 2-2 against Blackburn last weekend, when Fred Onyedinma was shown two yellow cards in quick succession, meaning he’ll be suspended for today’s match.

Forwards Andre Green and Tom Eaves could feature today following injury setbacks, while defender Grant Hall will be assessed.

Lee Peltier, Jamie Lindsay and Shane Ferguson all remain sidelined with injuries.

Here’s what Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has had to say about today’s opponents.

“I think it’s a dangerous game because there will be a perception of Rotherham at home, we’ll turn up and win that.

“What I see when I watch Rotherham is a really intense, out of possession closing down football team that have got threats when they get the ball in your box, and they break really quickly on you.

“They have some good legs in midfield and when they do win the ball back and get it forward they flood men forward quickly, and then they get everybody back behind the ball again and are really hard to break down.

“I would call it dangerous. I remember my first game was against Rotherham at home and Ross Stewart scored two one-touch finishes in and around the six-yard box. Jack Clarke went down the left, cut inside and scored and we won 3-0 in the end.

“I do sit here and think who is going to score them type of goals for us. Is Bradley going to do that, is the winger off the other side going to come in and score a tap-in?

“I think Rotherham know their strengths, know what they’re all about as a football team. They won’t expect to come here and dominate possession of the ball, but they will come here expecting to come and give us problems.”