MICK McCARTHY admitted he was delighted Sean Thornton was disappointed to be left out of Sunderland's side to face Derby at the weekend.

The Black Cats' boss revealed the decision to put Thornton on the bench for the trip to Pride Park on Sunday was a difficult one, given the midfielder's sparkling form since he returned to the first-team squad.

But with McCarthy forced to play the inexperienced Neill and Danny Collins at the heart of Sunderland's defence, following injury to skipper Gary Breen and Steve Caldwell, pragmatism prevailed in his team selection.

The Sunderland manager felt Jeff Whitley's experience and defensive midfield qualities would be more fitting to provide some protection to an unfamiliar back four. McCarthy's team selection was eventually justified when the Wearsiders came away from the Midlands with a clean sheet in the 2-0 triumph.

"I hope he was (disappointed) and I hope he wasn't glad about it," said McCarthy.

"I thought all week about it and I told Jeff (Whitley) I had considered playing Sean because I thought he was excellent against Crystal Palace.

"But Crystal Palace at home in a cup tie is a different kind of a game, with maybe not the same kind of pressure.

"It is a different kind of game to going to Derby in the league with two new centre-backs. I know what Jeff gives me and I know what Sean gives me, going away from home, certainly.

" I thought they (Carl Robinson and Whitley) got in among their middle two of Tom Huddlestone and Inigo Idiakez, who are good players, and they didn't allow them to play.

"But we were away from home, we were not the team that has to entertain, we had to go there and get something."

* Paul Given, the younger brother of Newcastle's Irish international number one Shay, is reported to have spent time on trial with the Black Cats this month.

Given junior, also a goalkeeper, spent a week at the Stadium of Light, and although no contract has been offered to the Lifford youngster, boss McCarthy declared that he would continue to monitor the 17-year-old's progress.

"We had Paul over to have a closer look at him. He was with us for a week but has now returned home. There's nothing at all happening in terms of him moving here, but we will keep our eye on him," McCarthy said.

* Kevin Keegan is hopeful of signing a loan replacement for Ben Thatcher within the next 24 hours but said Rangers' Michael Ball is not top of his shopping list.

The Manchester City boss has been linked with a move for Ball after it became public knowledge Thatcher was heading for Fulham after twice having his house burgled since his summer move north from Leicester.

Ball's ability to play on the left side of defence or midfield earmarked him as a prime candidate for a move back to England and with Trevor Sinclair and Sun Jihai out for the season through injury, Keegan has only one left-footed player in his squad in young defender Stephen Jordan.

But, after fielding calls about a possible replacement ahead of Saturday's encounter with basement boys West Brom, Keegan confirmed he would only contact Rangers' boss Alex McLeish about Ball if a swoop for his first-choice target fell through.

''I am hoping to know within the next 24 hours about the outcome of a potential loan deal,'' said Keegan.

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