Referee: John Brooks

Assistant Referees: David Avent and Mark Jones

Fourth Official: Graham Salisbury

Saturday's game will be John Brooks second at Sky Bet Championship level as the Leicestershire and Rutland FA official continues to work his way through the football pyramid.

Brooks is on the select group of assistant referees for the Premier League and, in 2015, joined the FIFA International referees list as an assistant. He ran the line at Wembley for the 2014 Sky Bet Championship Play-Off final and took charge of an EFL game for the first time in August 2016. His first second-tier game was Burton Albion's 2-1 win at Reading just before Christmas.

Last season, he showed 150 yellow cards and 10 red cards in 36 games with a further 110 yellows and four reds being brandished in 35 matches this term.

Sunderland 2017/18

369 fouls - 15th in Sky Bet Championship

59 yellow cards - 4th in Sky Bet Championship

3 red cards - 6th in Sky Bet Championship

Tickets for Saturday's first-ever trip to the Stadium of Light are on General Sale now. Back Dean and the boys in the North East with tickets priced at £25 adults, £19 seniors, £16 young persons, and just £1 juniors. Buy your tickets online here.