AS Sunderland's second highest purchase under Niall Quinn's chairmanship at the Stadium of Light, Tobias Hysen could be forgiven for thinking he would have started more games this season.

But, given his father was the former Liverpool defender Glenn, the intelligent Scandinavian has learned nothing is a certainty in football, particularly when the unpredictable Roy Keane is your manager.

Despite working hard in training, Hysen was used largely as a bench warmer following Keane's appointment in August - despite impressing in his one game prior to the Irishman's arrival after a £1.7m transfer from Swedish club Djurgardens.

The 24-year-old found himself only starting matches when Ross Wallace, a signing from Celtic in August, was unavailable on the left wing. Hysen has still made only eight starts in his first five months with the Black Cats.

Now, after grabbing his latest opportunity, he has started Sunderland's last three Championship matches, all of which have ended in victories.

Allaying recent rumours of making a loan move back to his native Sweden that surfaced a few weeks ago, all attention has focused on ensuring Sunderland's promotion push continues by defeating Crystal Palace on Tuesday night.

"I have played four games in a row and feel I'm getting to be part of the manager's plans," said Hysen. "Having only signed in the summer, that is exactly what I want to happen. It has taken time but I do feel I'm getting there and feel as if I'm more confident when I play.

"The manager has been a believer in the rotation system and it has been designed to keep everyone happy.

"But it has not all been about rotation and we do know that the eleven best players on a match day are the ones that are going to play the following week. Those who drop below the standards expected from the manager are rested.

"I wasn't playing that well before so I wasn't playing regularly, that's fine with me. I know the reasons why I was not in the team. I'm doing that little bit better and I am getting in now. That's common sense.

"My aim is not to keep ticking along as I have been, I want to get better and better and make sure I'm in the team every week. The recent few weeks have been good for me."

Keane's acquisition of Manchester United right-back Danny Simpson on Thursday has reaffirmed Keane's determination to deliver Premiership football at his first attempt in management.

Simpson's arrival has increased the number of January recruits to five, along with Jonny Evans, Anthony Stokes, Marton Fulop and Carlos Edwards.

And that will increase to six provided Keane can find the solution to his left-back problem, having already missed out on Stephen Warnock to Blackburn.

Nevertheless there is a feeling among the squad that Keane's work can secure promotion this season and, having dropped to eighth in midweek after Stoke's win at Burnley, a top-six place is in every player's sights.

The Sunderland squad were taken to an army-style assault course on Thursday in North Yorkshire before going paint-balling in an attempt to build up team spirit ahead of the visit of Palace.

And Hysen, knowing a point separates them from sixth-placed Stoke, said: "The target is to get into the play-offs as soon as possible. I don't think there will be a change mentally because we did not get in there after last week's win at Sheffield Wednesday.

"We know we have been close and we were struggling to get into the top half of the table in the first half of the season.

"But now we are up there and we are looking to improve our position with every game. It's boring and the biggest cliche of all time to say we have to take a game at a time but that's what we have to do. We are on a good run after three straight wins and we have to build on that.

"Once you get into the play-offs you are always going to aim higher. For us, direct promotion is the aim but we would have to be happy with the play-offs. There are 17 games to play and if we go on a good run then we could be right up there."

Sunderland's £2m striker Stokes should be fit for Tuesday's visit of Palace.

Stokes, who missed last weekend's win at Sheffield Wednesday after hurting his groin in training, has been having treatment all week.

But Keane said: "If there's a doubt there's no point taking risks.

"He's better now and we're hopeful he will be fit for next week."

Steve Caldwell was pushed further towards the Stadium of Light exit door last night when the club captaincy was given to Dean Whitehead.

Caldwell has been in talks this week over a possible move to Burnley and there now appears no way back after Keane's decision to hand the skipper's armband to Whitehead.

Whitehead took over the captaincy when Caldwell was injured in August and led the Black Cats for ten games but gave up the armband to concentrate on rediscovering his own form.

But last night Keane said: "Dean has really impressed me since I arrived at the club and I believe that he has all the qualities to be a top captain.

"Having spoken to him I made the decision to offer him the armband on a permanent basis and he was delighted to accept it."