The FOUR fringe Sunderland players pressing for a start against Rochdale

Phil Parkinson is weighing up whether to freshen up his starting XI after a busy run of games.

We take a look at four fringe players pushing for a start when Rochdale visit the Stadium of Light tonight for the 7.45pm kick-off.

Kyle Lafferty

Came off the bench on Saturday and showed great physicality playing alongside Charlie Wyke in the latter stages of the game. Still currently short of match fitness with the lack of appearances at previous clubs but still has bags of experience he can offer as well as leadership to the starting XI.

Josh Scowen

Nicknamed the rat at QPR the 26-year-old could certainly add a bit of bite into the Sunderland midfield with George Dobson or Max Power looking like they could drop out. Scowen is a player that Parkinson has insisted he was a long term target that can really make a difference at Sunderland with his experience at a higher level.

Duncan Watmore

Watmore has been used mostly as an impact sub this season but Tuesday could potentially be a calling point for the winger as his pace in the final third can be an effective replacement for some tired legs in the starting XI.

His recent performance at home to Doncaster Rovers, coming on as a second half sub, was an example that he perhaps feels he still has a point to prove in the latter stages of the season.

Antoine Semenyo

The 20-year-old has signed on loan from Bristol City until the end of the season. Semenyo is aiming to break into the Sunderland side regularly between now and the end of the campaign and he has huge potential.

Semenyo was a long-term target of Parkinson, the manager admitting at the end of December that he wanted to bring the pacy forward in on loan.

The deal was eventually done on deadline day, with Semenyo now battling it out with Chris Maguire and Lynden Gooch for a place in the Sunderland side.