Sunderland earned a win in the week over Accrington Stanley in the Carabao Cup and now the onus is on them to try and get a victory in the league for the first time this season.

Jack Ross and his side have once again embarked on some 1-1 draws this campaign and the Black Cats will need to start winning more games if they are to really challenge for the top two this season.

That much is obvious, and what is equally as clear is that this weekend's game against Portsmouth - though early in the campaign - is important.

The pair have got a bit of a rivalry going on as we head into this weekend's fixture, too, and so bragging rights could well be on offer as well as the usual three-point haul.

Here, then, we take a look at the XI Jack Ross might look to play with a few selection calls needing to be made...

Jon McLaughlin should return between the sticks after Lee Burge came in for the cup.

Denver Hume is in contention for this one, meanwhile, with him returning to training earlier in the week but Conor McLaughlin may well be asked to play down the left as he did midweek, given versatile Luke O'Nien's right-back ability.

In the middle, Alim Ozturk and Jordan Willis looked a decent pair - could Ross look to keep that going for this one?

In midfield, Dylan McGeouch has also returned to training and we think he might be thrown straight back in with George Dobson returning after starting on the bench last time out against Accrington.

Grant Leadbitter and Max Power played in that one, it could be that Leadbitter remains in the side.

Further forwards, Aiden McGeady and Lynden Gooch could be the selected wingers ahead of Chris Maguire and then Marc McNulty may well deserve a shot, after impressing in the cup.

There are a few decisions for Ross to make going into this one, though, and so getting them right will be paramount to any success they hope to have against Pompey.