LEE CATTERMOLE will return to the Sunderland midfield for a game with West Brom tomorrow which holds extra significance following Gus Poyet’s open letter to the fans.

Poyet moved to try to repair any damage his previous comments might have done with his relationship with supporters after last weekend’s FA Cup defeat at Bradford City increased the tension on Wearside.

Sunderland could now do with following Poyet’s letter up with a much-needed morale boosting win over the Baggies, who sit just a place and a couple of points above them.

Poyet said: “It is similar to Burnley and QPR. Because we lost a couple - one in the league - it is easy to say it is like Burnley. I don’t think it is different to the QPR game, I really don’t.

“For me the next game is always the most important game. That is the mentality we are trying to create, the problem is it didn’t work against QPR. So I suppose this one is the most important one.

“I like pressure because it is the way I have been brought up. When you are in Uruguay and you play for your national team, the pressure is there to win, there is no other result. It is part of my life. Can I work without pressure? I don’t know. I have never done it so far. I have never played or managed without pressure. It would be nice but maybe I am not myself without pressure. It is part of the game, I really like it.”

The return of Cattermole after missing ten matches will be a huge boost for Poyet as he looks for his team to show greater desire and drive after winning just one Premier League game since before Christmas.

He said: “He gives us a different impetus. It is important. At any level, you need different characters. In special moments you need certain ones and I think Lee is one of them. He is very important in difficult moments.”

Sunderland have a couple of other doubts – notably Emanuele Giachherini and Anthony Reveillere - but nothing too serious and Poyet is ready to recall striker Jermain Defoe to his forward line.