Ahmed Elmohamady is poised to deputize for Sunderland's first-choice right-back Phil Bardsley after the latter was hit by a four-match ban. Bardsley has been charged by the English FA for stamping on Chelsea winger Juan Mata in last weekend's Premier League defeat at the Stadium of Light. He will accordingly miss league games against Stoke, Norwich, West Brom and Arsenal. With John O'Shea injured for the Black Cats, Egypt wing-back Elmohamady could step in to fill the void after replacing Bardsley for the last half hour of the Chelsea game. Sunderland have been struggling with for recently, despite an impressive start at Liverpool, having lost three of their last four games in all competitions.