DEFENDER Steve Caldwell has labelled Sunderland 'the best team in the Championship' and challenged his team-mates to prove themselves worthy of the tag.

The Scotland international admitted the team were still on a high following their 2-0 win over Ipswich last Sunday, but warned against the perils of complacency when they face a struggling Stoke side this afternoon.

The Black Cats took the Tractor Boys apart at the Stadium of Light last weekend and their second-half display was the best by a Sunderland side this term.

Caldwell is hoping Mick McCarthy's men can build from that result, but hopes he isn't left eating his words come 5pm at the Britannia Stadium tonight.

"I think we're the best team in the league and we have to keep proving that in every game," said Caldwell. "If you sit on your laurels it will come back to haunt you.

"We're realising our potential and hopefully, come March, when it really matters, we'll be still firing on all cylinders.

"We're improving every game, playing some good stuff and becoming more experienced as a team with each game and there's no better team than passing the ball than us.

"That's just my opinion and there's another four or five teams that think they're the best. It's no point saying that though, then going down to Stoke and losing, because then people will say I'm shouting my mouth off."

If other results go in the Black Cats' favour they could be in the top two tonight, and Caldwell hopes once there, they make sure they stay in an automatic promotion spot until May.

Despite spending last season at arch-rivals Newcastle, the centre-back is well aware Sunderland just missed out on automatic promotion as McCarthy's men failed to catch Norwich and West Brom.

"It's crucial to get into that top two," said the 24-year-old. "It's something we didn't quite achieve last season and it came back to haunt the team in the play-offs.

"The lads were always just nearly getting there and probably deserved to get there but things happened, the fixtures mounted up and it didn't quite happen.

"It will be a bonus to get into that position."

With Tony Pulis' side desperate to find their form in front of goal - Stoke have scored just three in their last ten games - it is likely to be a tight affair this afternoon.

The Potters are expected to turn the game into a bruising encounter but, according to Caldwell, the Black Cats will be ready for a battle.

"They'll no doubt have had us watched on Sunday and they won't want to take us on in a football match," said Caldwell. "It's going to be rough and we're looking forward to that and we're ready for a physical battle.

"I've not played there before but the lads said we got a pretty poor result there last season (beaten 3-1) and hopefully we can get three points this time.

"Stoke aren't a very flamboyant, attacking team so it's important we keep it tight, don't give them any chances and make them work hard in front of goal.

"A clean sheet's important and if we can get that then we've got a good chance of winning the game. We know it's about us, most games in this division are.

"You can't read too much into any team's form in this league. Ipswich came here having scored against everyone but looked average against us.

"Stoke seem to be good at raising their game against the bigger clubs in the division and we know they will be up for it. They will want to prove a point to the rest of the league and I'm sure there will be a big, intimidating crowd making a lot of noise."

l Sunderland have been told on-loan midfielder Darren Carter will not be making a permanent move to the Stadium of Light.

After a shaky start, the 20-year-old Birmingham player has started to settle into life on Wearside, and was man-of-the-match in the 2-0 win over Ipswich last Sunday.

McCarthy remains hopeful of extending his loan spell, which ends at Christmas, but any hopes of a permanent deal appear to been ruled out by Blues boss Steve Bruce. Bruce, who could even recall Carter next month, said: "I don't think they could afford him."