STAR STRIKER Kevin Phillips has set himself a double-barrelled target of winning a place in the next England squad by shooting Sunderland away from the Premiership danger zone.

And the 28-year-old hot-shot hopes his clubmates can provide him with the extra ammunition to blast a way up the table and help fulfil his World Cup dream.

Phillips, who has not scored in the Black Cat's last three League games, admitted his surprise last week to be called up into Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad for the friendly against Sweden.

And even though he did not open his England account in the 58 minutes he was on the field, earning his seventh cap, he feels he did enough to get involved again - if he can impress Eriksson with his Premiership exploits before the next build-up friendly.

Phillips said: "There's two months to go until the next international and a lot of Premiership games to be played between now and then so hopefully Sunderland can start picking up the results and I can get back among the goals the give myself another chance."

Phillips, however, recognises the need for an upturn in form by the Wearsiders, who have slumped to fifth bottom after losing three of their last four games, picking up only one point during a dismal run.

He admitted: "Sunderland's form has not been good and there have been times when I've been watching games for long periods, which doesn't make it easy for me to do things that, most importantly, benefit Sunderland but might also catch the eye of the England staff.

"It's time for us to start picking up results and it's an important two months for Sunderland between now and February."

Phillips could not ask for a harder immediate programme to get back on the goal standard.

Sunderland face Premiership leaders Leeds on Sunday at the Stadium of Light, followed a week later by a trip to meet another club with serious Championship aspirations, Liverpool, at Anfield.

But, having been rubbing shoulders with England's top players in the build up to the Sweden game, Phillips has no doubts about his own ability to play against the very best.

He said: "It's a big step up from League football to international football, but I felt comfortable out there.

"But I've got to forget about the Sweden game now and get fully focussed on the Leeds game on Sunday because it's a huge home match for us."

Sunderland manager Peter Reid, who admitted his disappointment with the team's performance against then bottom club Leicester City just a week after a spirited home performance earned a point against one of the Premiership's top sides, Arsenal, knows he has to get his team back on track as quickly as possible.

But there are still no signs of any new signings to help the Wearsiders rekindle hopes of gaining entry into Europe this season after just missing out in the last two Premiership campaigns.

Reid, having gathered in over £6m this season from the transfers of Scottish international Don Hutchison to West Ham and midfielder Alex Rae to Wolverhampton Wanderers, has plenty of cash available to plunge into the transfer market.

But with his main target, West Ham's new England winger Trevor Sinclair, still out of reach, Reid looks content to play a waiting game.

Meanwhile Luton Town boss Joe Kinnear is keen to take Sunderland's reserve striker, Michael Reddy, on loan to Kenilworth Road.

The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international - also a loan target for Darlington boss Tommy Taylor - turned down the chance of an extended spell at Hull City, where he scored four goals in five games in his two months at Boothferry Park.

But Kinnear, who was impressed with Reddy's four goals in his 18 games on loan at Swindon Town last season, wants the 21-year-old to boost his third-placed team's chances of gaining promotion this season straight back to Division Two.

Read more about Sunderland here.