GOAL-ACE Kevin Phillips is set to spearhead a new-look three-man Sunderland attack against Charlton Athletic at the Stadium of Light this afternoon.

The four-goal England striker - upset by a tabloid headline which inferred he was unhappy about the output from his team-mates - had a meeting yesterday with manager Peter Reid and backed a possible switch to a 4-3-3 formation which would see him playing between Republic of Ireland and French internationals Niall Quinn and Lilian Laslandes.

Reid, unhappy that his side has not played well so far this season, hinted yesterday that he could switch from his traditional 4-4-2 line-up.

"Everyone knows that I am a 4-4-2 man," said Reid. "But I think everyone also knows that I am quite flexible and I would consider changing things."

Phillips, whose goal in the 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur in midweek, brought his career total at Sunderland to 99 goals - one more than previous record holder Len Shackleton - had admitted in print that the team had not got into gear this season.

He said: "It's not about me, it's about the team and it's about winning. I want to keep scoring goals but the Spurs game typified the way we have begun the season.

"We haven't started well, we haven't played well and we have looked poor at times."

Reid endorsed Phillips' comments. He said: "What the boy has said is spot on - I agree with his sentiments entirely but I can't see where you can get such a headline from that. I called him in because I like taking to players about things - you have to work with people. I would like to think I am strong as a manager, but you are only as strong as your players."

He added: "Kevin Phillips, as a player and as a lad, is brilliant to work with and I don't have a minute's problem with him.

"Everything I ask him to do he does without pulling a face - if I ask him to do a particular job he just does it and that tells you a lot about the lad."

"He is a really good footballer and has this quality of making difficult things look simple. The goal he scored against Spurs was fantastic."

Sunderland staged a spirited late rally and rattled Spurs after Reid decided to add the £3.6m Laslandes to the fray - and he looks set to start with three strikers in a new-look attacking formation against the Londoners.

Reid admitted: "This is a game we are desperate to win and I hope we can start the way we left off against Spurs. We have been edgy this season and there has been a lack of confidence in the team.

"When Spurs got their second goal it was the crowd which got us going - it is up to us to get the crowd going with a good performance.

"Some people say there is pressure playing in front of 47,000 people but I think it is a pleasure to play in front of such fervent support. The players know we haven't played well and are desperate to put it right. We just need a bit of confidence on the ball, confidence in our passing and get that passion going - that will to win."

Reid is likely to make two changes in defence, with goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen expected to make his return after recovering from an operation to straighten a broken nose he received on international duty with Denmark, while the versatile Darren Williams could come in for George McCartney, who came off against Spurs.

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