SUNDERLAND'S Kevin Kilbane insists Middlesbrough can be drawn into the relegation dogfight if they lose this afternoon's Wear-Tees derby.

Boro are ten points clear of the relegation zone and defeat at the Stadium of Light will force them to take a nervous look over their shoulders.

But Kilbane insists that Sunderland are focusing solely on themselves as they bid to boost their survival chances after failing to win in the Premiership since mid-December.

The Black Cats lie bottom, six points adrift of safety and in desperate need of victory.

And Kilbane said: "Middlesbrough are not clear of it yet and that's for certain. Any side that can get sucked into it would be nice, but first and foremost beating Middlesbrough is all we are thinking about.

"We are not thinking about where they are going to finish. If we finish fourth from bottom that's a result for us really.

"We've got 11 games to go and we've got a big task ahead but we are looking forward to it.

"I know I have said it before but I honestly believe and the lads honestly believe that we can get out of it.

"Fulham look home and dry now after their good win over West Brom, but we have got some big games coming up. We can't be looking too many games ahead but we fully expect to beat Middlesbrough.

"If we don't win our home games then we are in trouble. I would hope the anguish around the place (Stadium of Light) will go now - it has to."

Despite winning only four top-flight games all season, Kilbane insists there is still a tremendous sense of self-belief within the struggling squad.

And he indicated manager Howard Wilkinson and his training ground team have worked well to ensure the dressing room has remained upbeat.

"I think we have that confidence because we have the belief in each other, the belief in the manager and the coaching staff," he said. "It'll be a hard task to get out of it but I suppose it is in our own hands.

"Every team that is down there is playing each other and we have got to hope for the best when they do play each other.

"We know that we can beat every team that we have got coming up and that's why we believe we can get out of it - we have nothing to fear.

"Every game we play the lads are always up for it. It's always been a very buoyant dressing room - a very jolly atmosphere and I'm sure that will never change."

After Boro, Sunderland then face Fulham and two other relegation-threatened clubs in Bolton and West Ham. The Wearsiders also have to face Birmingham and West Brom before the end of the campaign.

And Kilbane revealed that fixture list could be the reason why Sunderland escape the drop into the Nationwide League.

"It could be our Godsend that we have to play all the teams that are down there," he said. "We know if we beat them then we will get out of trouble and we feel confident that we can do that."

He added: "We can't just settle for two wins now, we have to go for three maybe four wins on the bounce and that's something we haven't done for a while.

"But in saying that we have got players who can score goals for us and that is what we have to start doing. Everybody knows that."

* Sunderland midfielder John Oster has joined Grimsby Town on a month's loan.

And reserve goalkeeper Michael Ingham has had his loan move to York City extended by another month.

l Celtic manager Martin O'Neill is ready to hand Stanislav Varga his debut in the Scottish Cup fourth round tie against St Johnstone.

The former Sunderland man - who has signed a short-term contract to keep him at Parkhead until the end of the season - could replace Bobo Balde who has a slight back injury.

Meanwhile Celtic goalkeeper Magnus Hedman has been ruled out for eight weeks with the knee injury which kept him out of the UEFA Cup win over Stuttgart.

The former Coventry City number one twisted his knee during a training session on Wednesday and a subsequent arthroscopy revealed limited ligament damage to his left knee.

The Swedish international was set to continue in goal for Rob Douglas, who is still recovering from a hernia operation and a thigh problem, in the 3-1 win over the German side before the injury.

Hoops manager O'Neill said: ''It's very disappointing and everyone at the club is disappointed for Magnus more than anything else."

Read more about Sunderland here.