ENGLAND internationals Adam Johnson and Jermain Defoe have both been named in a strong Sunderland starting line-up for this evening's opening pre-season friendly against Darlington.

Dick Advocaat has named an experienced side for the game at Bishop Auckland's Heritage Park, although Jordan Pickford will start in goal with Vito Mannone named on the bench.

Wes Brown partners Tom Beadling at centre-half, with Billy Jones and Patrick van Aanholt filling the full-back berths.

Johnson will start on the right-hand side, with Emanuele Giaccherini on the opposite flank, with Lee Cattermole partnering Liam Bridcutt at the heart of midfield.

Defoe starts alongside Danny Graham in attack, with Connor Wickham named on the substitutes' bench alongside new signing Alex Matthews, who moved to Sunderland in a £2m move from Celtic.

Advocaat has named seven substitutes so at least four members of the starting line-up will play a full 90 minutes.

Darlington boss Martin Gray has named a much stronger side than the experimental selection that lost 1-0 to Durham City last weekend.

Three of the club's summer signings make their first appearance for Quakers, with Adam Nowakowski, Kevin Burgess and Phil Turnbull starting. A fourth - Rob Youhill - appears on the bench.

Darlington: Jameson, Brown, Galbraith, Burgess, Hunter, Nowakowski, Mitchell, Turnbull, Dowson, Cartman, Thompson.

Subs: McLean, Portas, Scott, Youhill.

Sunderland (4-4-2): Pickford; Jones, Brown, Beadling, van Aanholt; Johnson, Bridcutt, Cattermole, Giaccherini; Defoe, Graham.

Subs: Mannone (gk), Matthews, Wickham, Buckley, Smith, Brady, T Robson.