Tony Mowbray has set his players a target of taking their play-off challenge to the very last day of the season after Sunderland's win against Birmingham City brought them to within a point of the top six.
The Black Cats came from behind to beat the Blues, and held on for all three points despite playing the final 10 minutes shorthanded after Dennis Cirkin was sent off for a second bookable offence - an infraction that will see him suspended for one game, meaning he will miss Tuesday's home game against Huddersfield Town.
That lifted them to ninth in the table and to within a point of the play-off spots with four games remaining - albeit that gap could widen this evening if Blackburn Rovers pick up points at home to Hull City. But Sunderland face relegation-threatened Huddersfield next, and then round off the season with three games against fellow play-off contenders West Bromwich Albion, Watford and then Preston.
