O’Neill desperately seeking strikers

Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill will spend the final few days of the transfer window desperately trying to land striking reinforcements.

The Black Cats’ need is pressing, with Fraizer Campbell having left the club for Cardiff, Ji Dong-won having joined German side Augsburg on loan for the rest of the season and Louis Saha looking for pastures new after having his contract cancelled by mutual consent.

Swansea’s want away striker Danny Graham, who could line up against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League clash tonight, (7.45pm) is at the top of O’Neill’s wishlist, and with time running down, efforts to plug the gaps in their front line are gathering pace ahead of Thursday’s deadline.

The Derry man has studiously declined to identify his targets for the January window, but said: “I am hopeful something will develop for us. We have got a couple of days left and we are hoping we can add somebody else to the squad if at all possible.

“We are still looking there because come February 1, that’s it. But we will see what we can do. I am hopeful, but there’s nothing guaranteed.”

In the meantime, Sunderland will attempt to build upon an impressive run of form which has seen them win five of their last eight Premier League games to climb into 11th, nine points clear of the relegation zone.

A disappointing FA Cup third round exit to Bolton aside, that has provided them with a platform to look upwards rather than over their shoulders.

That may be easier said that done tonight as Michael Laudrup’s men arrive on Wearside still basking in the glow of their progression to the Capital One Cup final.

But Laudrup does not expect there to be a cup hangover.

“I think when we come closer to the final, we will notice some cup fever,” he said. “But we may play Liverpool the week before the final as they are out of the FA Cup, so we may play on that free weekend which means we will have four league games before the final.

“Three of them will be away, against Sunderland, West Ham and Liverpool, with QPR at home. We have always said survival is the priority and we still need some points to be sure of that.”