Sam Allardyce targets big scalp ahead of home date with Manchester City
Sam Allardyce has admitted Sunderland have to shock one of the Barclays Premier League big boys if they are to stay in touch with the race for survival.
The Black Cats currently lie in 19th place in the table four points adrift of safety and facing yet another scrap to drag themselves out of trouble with time running out fast.
They welcome Manchester City to the Stadium of Light on Tuesday evening before heading for Liverpool at the weekend and entertaining Manchester United seven days later, a run of fixtures which would send a shiver down the spine at the best of times.
Sunderland have made something of a habit in recent seasons of pulling off unexpected results against Premier League aristocrats with campaigns drawing to a close, with both Manchester clubs, Chelsea and Arsenal having suffered at their hands.
Asked if his team could draw upon that experience, Allardyce said: "Somewhere in the next three games, we have got to pull one of those games off - more if we can, hopefully. It would be a pretty miraculous run if we pulled off two victories in these three fixtures.
"It would be fantastic if we could do that, but certainly if we could get one and upset one of the big boys and get one victory out of the three, that would lift everybody.
"But for me, how many positive results can we get? We have got to get a result in two out of the three games, or we have got to try to get at least one win out of the three games if we want to stay in touch."
Allardyce has repeatedly bemoaned his side's inability not to lose games they cannot win - they recorded their first draw under his charge in 16 attempts against Bournemouth last time out - and that is why his early focus during the January transfer window was on his rearguard.
Former Lorient defender Lamine Kone and fellow new arrival Wahbi Khazri are available after receiving international clearance and they, along with striker Dame N'Doye, will hope for debuts.
If Kone does get the nod against a City side which has lost only once in 10 outings in all competitions, he could face the task of trying to shackle in-form striker Sergio Aguero, who has scored seven times in his last seven games.
Asked if Aguero is as good a striker as the Premier League has seen, Allardyce replied: "Yes, I don't think there's any doubt about that.
"He's been here a long time now and he has proved it year in and year out once he's been 100 per cent fit. Every time he's got over his injuries and them come back, people say, 'He doesn't look as sharp as he did last season', but then when he gets his full match fitness back again, he delivers outstanding goals.
"We have got to pay particular attention to him and try to nullify those strengths as much as we can on Tuesday because he can turn the game in a split-second."
The game will be Manchester City's first since they announced Pep Guardiola would succeed Manuel Pellegrini as manager next season.
A statement from the club read: "Manchester City can confirm that in recent weeks it has commenced and finalised contractual negotiations with Pep Guardiola to become MCFC head coach for the 16/17 EPL season onwards.The contract is for three years.
"These negotiations were a re-commencement of discussions that were curtailed in 2012.
"Out of respect for Manuel Pellegrini and the players, the club wishes to make its decision public to remove the unnecessary burden of speculation.
"Manuel Pellegrini, who is fully supportive of the decision to make this communication, is entirely focused on achieving his targets for the season ahead and retains the respect and commitment of all involved with the leadership of the club."
Midfielder Fabian Delph will miss Tuesday's trip with a calf injury but left-back Aleksandar Kolarov is fit to return and Joe Hart will be back in goal after being rested for recent cup games.
Captain Vincent Kompany (calf), centre-back Eliaquim Mangala (hamstring) and striker Wilfried Bony (calf) are not ready while Samir Nasri (thigh) and Kevin De Bruyne (knee and ankle) are longer-term absentees.
Source: PAR
