JACK ROSS insists no concerns about facing Walsall after failing to get the better of them three times this season.

The Black Cats take on the Saddlers at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, on the back of Tuesday’s 0-0 draw at Barnsley.

They are four points behind the Tykes with a game in hand with ten games to go.

But first they must get the better of the Saddlers, who knocked the Black Cats out of the FA Cup at the Stadium of Light earlier this season.

That 1-0 December defeat came ten days after the sides drew 2-2 in the FA Cup at the Bescot Stadium, which was a week after a 1-1 draw there in League One.

Ross said: “Walsall games this season, one league game turned out tough because of a man sent off wrongly early on. The FA Cup games were unusual. We went back there a week later in front of a smaller crowd and a less intense atmosphere.

“In the replay here, we didn’t play well and made changes and they deserved to win. It will be different this weekend in terms of atmosphere and the team.

“They will try and combat what we do well and we have to find ways in the best of our abilities to win a game. This league has 12/13 teams who can still be relegated so there’s a lot of teams to play with something to play for and Walsall fall into that bracket.’’

Ross has Tom Flanagan and Reece James back in training and in contention for the weekend, but George Honeyman remains suspended after his dismissal last weekend at Wycombe.