O'Neill makes three changes for Sunderland (From Durham Times)

O'Neill makes three changes for Sunderland

2:30pm Saturday 24th March 2012 in Sunderland AFC By Paul Fraser, Chief Football Writer

MARTIN O'NEILL has reinstalled Stephane Sessegnon in to Sunderland's starting line-up for this afternoon's visit of Queens Park Rangers in the Premier League.

Sessegnon has returned to the fold after a three match ban for his sending off against Newcastle United earlier this month.

He slots back in alongside Nicklas Bendtner in attack, with Fraizer Campbell rested after an extended run in the team after injury.

There is also a return for John O'Shea, who missed the midweek defeat at Blackburn. He replaces Phil Bardsley after O'Neill opted to give him extra-time to recover from a series of niggles.

There is also no place in the match-day squad for Swedish winger Seb Larsson through injury.

Former Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton, meanwhile, has been dropped by Queens Park Rangers boss Mark Hughes. Barton is on the bench.

SUNDERLAND (4-4-2): Mignolet; O'Shea, Kyrgiakos, Turner, Bridge; Colback, Gardner, Vaughan, McClean; Sessegnon; Bendtner. Subs: Gordon (gk), Campbell, Wickham, Kilgallon, Ji, Meyler, Elmohamady.

QUEENS PARK RANGERS (4-4-2): Kenny; Young, Ferdinand, Onuoha, Taiwo; Mackie, Derry, Diakete, Taarabt; Zamora, Cisse. Subs: Cerny (gk), Hill, Gabbidon, Bothroyd, Buzsaky, Barton, Wright-Phillips.