JOKER Jason McAteer was going to try to convince Paul Thirlwell that the Washington-born midfielder was Pele when he woke up in a Merseyside hospital this week, writes Paul Fraser.

Thirlwell has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign after fracturing his skull playing for the reserves on Tuesday night.

And McAteer joked: "We are all gutted about Paul.

"We were all going to tell him that he was Pele but he came round before we had chance to see him, and he realised he was just an alright player when he came round."

Julio Arca is also ruled out for the rest of the campaign with a knee injury, and McAteer believes all the Sunderland players should turn in top performances in a bid to make sure they are still at the club next season.

"We are not the biggest or strongest of squads," he said. "It's a big loss because we have still got work to do and we want a real tactical advantage in the play-offs.

"The players who will come in have played a lot. We have experienced lads coming in. Players are fighting for all different causes and we have given it everything this season."

The Sunderland midfielder insists that once a play-off place is secured - hopefully with three points against Crewe today - then McCarthy can rest a number of his first-choice players for the final two matches of the season.

"If we get a result then the gaffer can tinker with the team and pick a team wrapped up in cotton wool against Norwich and Burnley," said McCarthy.

Read more about Sunderland here.