KENWYNE Jones has claimed that Sunderland are not involved in a relegation battle, despite the club’s position in the bottom three after 17 games of the season.

The Black Cats might have cruised to a four-goal victory over West Brom last weekend, but they will still travel to Hull tomorrow rooted in 18th position in the Premier League table.

The Boxing Day fixture against Blackburn marks the halfway point, but Jones insists it is far to early to talk of a battle against the drop.

With just three points separating Sunderland in 18th from Fulham in tenth, the Trinidad & Tobago international claims this season’s relegation candidates will not become clear for at least another month.

“From eighth place to last place in the league is so tight,”

said Jones, who scored a firsthalf double in last weekend’s win over the Baggies. “I don’t think any teams in those positions will be thinking it is going to be a relegation battle.

“It’s just like the Championship, or League One or Two, where I have been for years. You have a couple of wins and are right up the table, you have a couple of losses and are right back down. That’s what’s happening this year.

“We are not really going to worry about relegation until the league has separated, and at the moment, it hasn’t.

“There are a lot of big teams down there, so you don’t know what’s going to happen. But until the table irons itself out, and there is space between the relegation zone and mid-table, anything is possible. We need to make sure we’re winning games until that time comes.”

Sunderland’s next chance to pull clear of the relegation zone comes at Hull’s KC Stadium tomorrow, with caretaker manager Ricky Sbragia due to take charge of his third game since succeeding Roy Keane on a temporary basis.

With Sam Allardyce having formally taken over at Blackburn yesterday, Sbragia has emerged as a leading contender to become the Black Cats’ next permanent boss.

And after Marton Fulop became the first player to officially endorse the Scotsman’s candidature on Wednesday, Jones was quick to offer further support yesterday.

“Ricky has our respect and we have his,” said the striker.

“He is continuing the work he has been doing behind the scenes, and trying to take the club and team forward.

“If he was made permanent manager, you could only be happy for him. But then you don’t have control of that.

“Right now, all we can do is work together for the team and the club, and see how far that gets us.”

■ Former Sunderland manager Roy Keane has been handed an official warning after pleading guilty to a charge of improper conduct imposed in the wake of November’s 5-0 defeat at Chelsea.

Keane was sent to the stands after arguing with referee Martin Atkinson in the tunnel during the half-time interval of the game at Stamford Bridge.

An FA statement said: “At an independent regulatory commission hearing, former Sunderland manager Roy Keane was warned as to his future conduct after admitting a charge of improper conduct.

“Keane was charged for his conduct towards referee Martin Atkinson in the tunnel at half-time of Sunderland’s match against Chelsea on Saturday, November 1.”