Sbragia confident Black Cats will survive

SUNDERLAND boss Ricky Sbragia is confident the Black Cats will be playing Premier League football next season.

The Wearsiders go into the final weekend of the season the most comfortable of the four clubs still in the relegation mix with West Brom having succumbed last weekend.

Middlesbrough, in 19th place, cannot catch derby rivals Newcastle and Sunderland. But victories for Newcastle, who play away to Aston Villa, and Hull who are at home to Manchester United, could move both clubs above Sunderland, who would then be relegated.

Unfortunately for Sbragia’s side, the fixture computer handed them a last day clash with Chelsea, who could rest key players ahead of the FA Cup final, but who have approached the end of manager Guus Hiddink’s temporary reign in blistering form.

The Sunderland boss freely admits he never expected to be embroiled in the fight for survival at this stage of the season, and while he remains certain they will survive, he is well aware they may not be able to rely upon others to help them.

In the circumstances, he will draw inspiration from Bradford’s remarkable escape back in 2000, when David Wetherall’s goal sealed an unlikely and decisive victory over Liverpool.

Sbragia said: “I am confident we still stay in the Premier League. I am confident – but we have got to go and do it. I can remember Bradford playing Liverpool and nobody gave Bradford a hope in hell, and they won 1-0, so it can always happen.

“We have got to go out there and be a bit braver and take the game to them. Anything can happen in football, and we hope we can come out with a win.”

He added: “Over the 38 games, we have not been consistent enough.

“We have had many chances to get out of the position we are in – we have not taken them and we are down to the final game.”