IN-FORM Republic of Ireland international Kevin Kilbane believes Sunderland can sweep aside lingering relegation worries by winning two of their last four Premiership matches.

But the speedy left-winger acknowledges that the Wearsiders will have to sharpen up their finishing if they hope to cause an upset against title-chasing Liverpool at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

He said: "We have always given Liverpool a good test at the Stadium of Light and we have to try to prove again what a good team we can be.

"We can get a good result against Liverpool - make no mistake about that.

"We are confident that we can do that before we go to West Ham and Charlton and we know we can get results down there as well."

Kilbane, however, knows that Sunderland cannot afford to squander the type of chances they missed in the second half at Leeds, where they went down 2-0 after threatening to earn a share of the spoils.

He said: "We were punished for our errors up front against Leeds.

"We had a couple of chances and if you don't put them away these teams have the quality to go up the other end and score against you.

"But we've not been scoring goals all season and we've talked about it in the dressing room so many times."

Kilbane is disappointed with his personal goal output - one goal in 20 starts - while he feels that Irish teammate Niall Quinn will also be dissatisfield with his half dozen.

He said: "I've scored only one all season and Niall is our second top scorer with six. By his own standards he knows he should be getting more and I know I should be getting five, six or seven a season.

"It's been a big disappointment for us and that's why we are where we are at the moment."

But Kilbane is pleased to see midfielders Jason McAteer and Claudio Reyna chipping in with important strikes.

He said: "It's pleasing that we signed Jason, who has been on the scoresheet recently and Claudio has scored three since he joined us. He's been a good addition and his goals against Leicester were a big bonus because they got us out of a lot of trouble."

Kilbane, who has been winning over some of his critics since being given back his place on the left side of midfield, sympathises with his Argentinian teammate, Julio Arca, who has been plagued this year by a stubborn groin injury which threatens to keep him out of action for the rest of the campaign.

He said: "Julio was fantastic for us last year - he had a great first season at the club.

"But since he joined us he hasn't had any rest whatsoever and that's been the main problem.

"He has been tired and it has been a big problem for him. If he's going to have to write his season off now it might not be such a bad thing, then he can get himself fit again for next season and I'm sure he will come back and show us just what a great player he is.

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