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 Danny Graham, who could line up against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, is at the top of O'Neill's wish-list, and with time running down, efforts to plug the gaps in their front line are gathering pace ahead of Thursday's deadline.
The Ulsterman has studiously declined to identify his targets for the January window, but asked if it was fair to assume his attacking resources are the main focus, he said: "Of course, of course it is.
"There was always interest in Fraizer and we said we would prefer him not to go, if that was the case, until we had got someone else in.
"I felt this was a big opportunity for Fraizer. He didn't want to disappear and so I allowed him to go.
"But I am hopeful that something will develop for us. We have got a couple of days left and we are hoping ourselves that 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.
"There are some days left here and we will try to do something about it. I am hopeful, but there's nothing guaranteed."
O'Neill is unlikely to be able to welcome any of his injured troops back into the fold.
Skipper Lee Cattermole (knee) remains on the sidelines, while defenders Danny Rose and Carlos Cuellar are still recovering from hamstring problems and are unlikely to figure.
Loan signing Kader Mangane could be involved in the squad, with the central defender having spent the time since his arrival from Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal working on his match fitness.
Meanwhile, Swansea manager Michael Laudrup does not expect there to be a cup hangover.
The Swans will be in action for the first time since securing a place in their first major cup final, having dumped European champions Chelsea out at the semi-final stage of the Capital One Cup last week.
There is tangible excitement in the city ahead of next month's trip to face npower League Two side Bradford in the final at Wembley, but Laudrup knows his side cannot afford to get too far ahead of themselves as they face a Black Cats side who have won four of their last six league games.
But the Dane believes previous performances this season have shown his side will not be distracted by talk of Wembley.
"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.
"They are important games for us, and I don't expect to see a reaction from the team as they have shown me after great performances they can keep it up for the next game.
"The best example is the week when we won at Stamford Bridge on the Wednesday and on Saturday we went to get a great point at Everton in a very difficult game, so I hope to see the same kind of performance tomorrow.
"It does not mean we will get a result, as they need the three points but if we keep that level everything is possible for us and we have always said survival is the priority and we still need some points to be sure of that."
Laudrup has no fresh injury concerns.
Michel Vorm is likely to return in goal after Gerhard Tremmel started the Capital One Cup meeting with Chelsea, although midfielder Ki Sung-yueng might not be risked after suffering an ankle knock against the Blues.
Midfielder Kemy Agustien (ankle) and Neil Taylor (broken leg) are the only long-term absentees.
Source: PA
