English League Championship/Sunderland v Burnley:The Championship's biggest crowd of the season will hurry to the Stadium of Light this evening and, after witnessing what they hope will be Sunderland's seventh home win in eight matches, the wait will begin. If Roy Keane's side beat Burnley the three points will take them top, with their promotion rivals Birmingham City playing tomorrow and Derby County on Sunday.
"It's all ifs and ands," said Keane, but he knows that a Sunderland victory combined with Derby losing at Crystal Palace would mean automatic promotion for his side. Even a Derby draw would effectively see Sunderland promoted given their superior goal difference.
As of yesterday morning Sunderland had sold 41,000 tickets - Burnley shifted 350 - and although last Saturday's defeat at Colchester put a dent in proceedings, Sunderland remain in control of their destiny. Keane is hopeful he will not have to return to the stadium for a play-off game. "We'll have 45,000 behind us and that's not bad, is it?" he said. "The players have got to enjoy that and, where we're hoping to go, the players have got to get used to these situations."
According to Keane he and his squad have been "relaxed" after losing 3-1 at Colchester - their first defeat of 2007 - but the excitement of the table-topping scenario comes with its own anxieties.
Keane did not watch Birmingham's topsy-turvy win at Wolves last Sunday, though text messages arrived on his phone, and when Derby play at Selhurst Park he may be in a cinema with his children.
"I think the new Simpsons one is due out next week so I might go and see that Sunday when the game's on," he said.
He said he had been tempted to call Steve Bruce on Sunday after Birmingham's 3-2 win at Wolves "but he was probably drunk somewhere". He said: "I might even call him later; it's part of the banter. He's a good lad and I'm sure he aged another few years on Sunday. He and Billy (Davies) have done very good jobs."
Guardian Service
