KEVIN KILBANE last night looked ahead with confidence to Saturday's desperation derby and told Middlesbrough: You don't scare us.

Kilbane and his Sunderland teammates are fast running out of time to save their Premiership skins, with just ten fixtures remaining after the weekend.

Sunderland, who are bottom of the table, must drastically improve on a woeful record of one point from their League matches in 2003.

But with Middlesbrough having lost ten of their 13 away Premiership matches this season, Kilbane believes the Black Cats can start their survival mission in two days.

He said: "I don't think we have anything to fear against Middlesbrough. We're at home and should have a decent crowd behind us.

"A win against our local rivals would be the perfect way to start things rolling, and for me the crucial thing is starting the game well.

"We seem to have had a lot of bad luck since the New Year, but we must make our own luck and not dwell on the past.

"The next month will be the key for Sunderland, but the aim at the moment is to get three points from the Boro game."

Phil Babb is expected to recover from a groin injury in time to play. Gavin McCann, who has been suffering from a calf strain, should also be available to bolster the Sunderland midfield.

But Marcus Stewart is still struggling with a thigh problem, while Emerson Thome will be sidelined until next month with a knee injury.

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