BRAZILIAN defender Emerson Thome insists he is the man to lead crisis club Sunderland's desperate fight against relegation.

Thome is set to make his first Premiership appearance since New Year's Day last year, when the rock-bottom Wearsiders today tackle Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

The 30-year-old centre-back scored in a 1-1 home draw with Aston Villa, but was subsequently ruled out for the rest of last season with knee trouble which required surgery and lingered into the current campaign.

Manager Howard Wilkinson recalled Thome for Wednesday's FA Cup fourth-round replay against Blackburn at the Stadium of Light, where Sunderland triumphed in a shoot-out after a stamina-sapping 120 minutes ended with the score at 2-2.

And the former Chelsea stopper, whose four appearances this term have all been in cup competitions, was in formidable form.

Thome, who has denied he is in negotiations to terminate his contract, admits he has been disappointed by a dearth of first-team opportunities since he returned to fitness.

But he is eager to show he can be the cornerstone for a long-odds survival bid. "I'm delighted to be back,'' he said. "Peter Reid brought me here because he thought I was a fighter and a leader.

"Brazilians have good technique but my style is more European. I am hard to beat and good in the tackle, and I have leadership; I'm happy to have that attribute.

"I think any player is disappointed when he has not played for a long time, and when you come back and have a good game, I think you should keep your place.

"But I'm a professional and I do what the club wants me to do.''

The writing looked to be on the wall for a player dubbed "The Brick'' when Wilkinson last week recruited Morocco defender Talal el Karkouri on loan from Paris St. Germain.

And Thome confessed: "I cannot be happy if I've not been playing regularly and the manager thinks he should bring somebody else in.

"It's his decision, he's in command, and as a member of the team I can't express my frustration because of decisions he's made.

"As a footballer I have to be prepared to accept the decisions he makes and that's what I have been doing for the last few months.

"I just wish we could get things right because I want to play in the Premier League and I think, as a club and as a team, we have the quality to stay there.''

Fitness fanatic Thome revealed he puts himself through a punishing regime of at least 300 sit-ups each day.

He said: "My concern is getting my fitness because when you are not playing you can train as hard as you like and be in the gym every day, but your match fitness is not there. I've coped with the situation and I think my colleagues and the supporters are glad to see me back.

"A lot of the guys will be stiff after the Blackburn game because of the short space of time between matches, especially people like me who haven't played for a long time.

"Having been injured, I have to maintain my fitness. I think the knee is OK now; I've played 120 minutes and I feel all right.

"I lost bits of my cartilage, but I'm not the first player to have that problem. When I was at Sheffield Wednesday, Paolo di Canio had the same thing and you just have to keep the leg strong. I hope I can keep playing for the next few weeks.''

It was rumoured that Sunderland's apparent reluctance to play Thome was down to the fact that Chelsea were due a £300,000 instalment once he had made 50 senior starts for the Black Cats, a total he reached against Blackburn.

Thome was a club record buy when Reid lured him from Stamford Bridge in a £4.5m deal in September 2000.

Sunderland chief Bob Murray has confirmed the club are £25m in debt, but Wilkinson insisted: "The chairman has told me to pick the best team and there are no other issues. I thought Emerson did very well on Wednesday.''

El Karkouri is in the squad and Wilkinson added: "He doesn't come here as Jaap Stam, but he's here to play.''

Wilkinson has challenged midfielder Gavin McCann, who scored the shoot-out clincher against Blackburn and also netted a spectacular strike in normal time, to rediscover the consistency that once won him England recognition.

"If he wants to be the player he can be he has to turn in those performances all the time,'' said Wilkinson.

"He's set his standard and he has to try to maintain it. He could be a key player here.''

As FA technical director, Wilkinson worked closely with Glenn Hoddle when the Spurs boss was in charge of England.

"Glenn has done a good job wherever he's gone and he's been with Spurs long enough to put his stamp on things,'' said Wilkinson.

"I'm sure Glenn will have noticed we've not only had the physical demands of extra-time, but also the emotional demands of penalties.

"But our away performances have been good. Time is running out, but what we're looking at now is a mini-season. If we were starting the season now with the 12 games we have left, and the players were as they are, I'd fancy us for a decent start to the season!''

Sunderland midfielder Jason McAteer, out since September after hernia surgery, could be fit for the home FA Cup tie with Watford a week today.

Defender Phil Babb has been playing with the pain of a groin problem and faces an operation at the end of the season.

Read more about Sunderland here.