SUNDERLAND and Middlesbrough will fight for Premier League survival on Wednesday, and the North-East rivals are set to lock horns again in the summer as they prepare for what is almost certain to be a season in the Championship.

Sunderland boss David Moyes has targeted Bristol City loanee Tammy Abraham as a viable summer target, but the Scot will have to repel competition from a number of clubs that are likely to include Boro if he is to land the striker.

Abraham scored his 26th goal of the season at the weekend, and is the Championship’s second-highest goalscorer despite Bristol City’s struggles in the bottom half of the table.

The 19-year-old will return to Chelsea at the end of the current campaign, but his performances in the second tier are unlikely to be sufficient to earn him a place in Antonio Conte’s first-team squad.

Instead, Abraham is likely to be sent out on loan again, and while there could be interest from the top-flight, another spell in the Championship is likely to be Conte’s preferred option.

Sunderland’s squad will require a radical summer overhaul, with attack set to be a key priority. Jermain Defoe will be free to leave in the event of relegation because of a clause in his contract, while Victor Anichebe’s chequered injury record means he is unlikely to be offered a new deal on Wearside.

Fabio Borini could also depart, leaving Moyes needing two or three strikers as he looks to ensure Sunderland hit the ground running in the event of relegation.

The Black Cats boss watched Bristol City’s 1-1 draw with Blackburn at the start of last week, and while he is also interested in Rovers’ on-loan forward Sam Gallagher, Abraham’s goalscoring performance is understood to have caught his eye.

Boro have scouted Abraham extensively this season, and having signed a number of players on loan from Chelsea in the past, the Teessiders would be hopeful of a sealing a deal if they firmed up their interest in the summer.

However, Moyes will hope to steal a march on his rivals by making an early move once the transfer window reopens, with Sunderland owner Ellis Short set to retain his current manager’s services despite his club’s struggles at the foot of the Premier League table.

Sunderland could be relegated on Saturday after a weekend that saw two of their leading relegation rivals stretch their advantage over Moyes’ ailing side.

The Black Cats now find themselves 12 points adrift of Hull City, who currently occupy 17th position, and while they still have six games to play, time is rapidly running out.

If Sunderland were to lose Wednesday’s Tees-Wear derby, they would head into Saturday’s home game with Bournemouth knowing their relegation would be confirmed if they were to lose and Hull were to pick up a point from their trip to Southampton.

The end is rapidly approaching, and even if they survive next weekend, there is every chance that Sunderland’s fate will be sealed when they head to Hull on May 6.

Meanwhile, Sunderland’s Uncer-23s claimed their first league win of 2017 as they recorded a 2-1 victory over Arsenal at the weekend.

An experienced Sunderland line-up featuring Donald Love, George Honeyman and Lynden Gooch fell behind when Donyell Malen fired Arsenal ahead ten minutes after the interval.

Gooch equalised after he was set up by Rees Greenwood, and Sunderland claimed a winner in the closing stages when substitute Luke Molyneux latched on to Ethan Robson’s long clearance before firing home.

Sunderland: Stryjek, Love (J Robson 45), Hume, Brady, Beadling, E Robson, Embleton, Greenwood, Gooch (Molyneux 82), Honeyman, Asoro (Maja 64).