The Australia international's groin problem kept him out of the Boxing Day draw at Wigan but manager Sam Allardyce is hopeful Emerton will be fit for the visit of the Black Cats.

Allardyce may decide to change things up front as on-loan Chelsea striker Franco Di Santo, with one goal all season and none in his last nine appearances, was a virtual spectator against the Latics.

Provisional squad: Robinson, Chimbonda, Jacobsen, Nelsen, Samba, Salgado, Pedersen, Givet, NZonzi, Hoilett, Andrews, Emerton, Di Santo, Roberts, McCarthy, Kalinic, Diouf, Jones, Brown.