Robert travelled north with Pompey yesterday but beleaguered boss Alain Perrin named only four substitutes with Salif Diao also missing after failing a late fitness test.

It was the last thing Perrin needed ahead of a game which was already being billed as a relegation battle and with his own position seemingly increasingly under threat.

Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy had his own problems with star midfielder Julio Arca missing while there was no place for Gary Breen in a defence which had conceded nine goals in its last three games.

Sunderland: Davis, Nosworthy, Stubbs, Caldwell, Hoyte, Lawrence, Whitehead, Miller, Welsh, Elliott, Gray. Replacements: Robinson, Stead, Alnwick, Woods, Murphy.

Portsmouth: Ashdown, Priske, Primus, Stefanovic, Vignal, Vukic, O’Neil, Griffin, Hughes, Taylor, Silva. Replacements: Westerveld, Viafara, Todorov, Mbesuma.

Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire)