SUNDERLAND striker Kevin Kyle has asked Scotland teammate Malky Mackay to "go easy'' when Norwich come in search of the Division One title at the Stadium of Light tomorrow night.

A point apiece would suit both sides, with the Canaries needing one to as good as clinch the championship and the Black Cats the same to secure a play-off spot.

The agony has been drawn out for Sunderland after Saturday's disappointing 1-1 home draw with struggling Crewe.

Kyle admitted he was "wrecked'' after playing 90 minutes for Scotland in their midweek defeat by Denmark.

Centre-back Mackay was also on duty in Copenhagen and, despite his tongue-in-cheek plea, Kyle expects a full-blooded encounter with his compatriot when they meet up again.

"It's proving hard securing this play-off place,'' confessed Kyle. "Everybody is disappointed, upset and annoyed that we haven't done it.

"We lost three games on the bounce then drew at Wigan, which was a good result because it was a hard match.

"But we're not going to let our heads drop and dwell on it because we now have a game against Norwich and need a point to make the play-offs. Norwich will be looking to win the championship but hopefully we can stop that.

"I had a word with Malky Mackay when I was with Scotland. I told him to tell his teammates not to expect to get too much here.

"I said, 'Take your foot off the pedal a little.' But he said, 'You watch what you're doing to me and I'll watch what I'm doing to you.' Hopefully big Malky will take it easy.

"That's the first time I've really spoken to him and he's A1, a top guy, but hopefully he'll walk off on Tuesday with a few bumps and bruises and we'll be victors.

"I think we owe them one. They've been promoted and done well, but I think we should have won the game there this season when we lost 1-0. Hopefully we can get one over them this time. I'm confident, and everybody else is, that we'll get the point we need.''

Midfielder Jeff Whitley was an unlikely scorer against Crewe when he ended the Black Cats' six-hour-plus goal famine.

Kyle admitted: "For a while, the forwards were scoring every week but we haven't scored for five games now. There haven't been many chances created lately, so it's been difficult to get goals.

"But there were a few chances on Saturday and I was unlucky with my lob. I saw the keeper was off his line when I chipped him and I thought it was in, but he made a good save. If that had gone in, it would have been 2-0 and the game would have been beyond them.

"In the first half we were very comfortable and went in 1-0 up, but in the second half we got a bit lazy.''

Kyle added: "The manager has chopped and changed the front two throughout the season, but I don't think it's affected anyone. Me and Marcus Stewart have played together, Darren Byfield came on against Crewe and Tommy Smith has had to play on the wing because of Julio Arca's injury.

"But we have to start scoring goals again, and the manager will probably be looking for a settled front two when we get into the play-offs.

"At the end of the season there are tired legs - after half an hour here in the heat I was absolutely wrecked.

"I played 90 minutes for Scotland in midweek as well, which didn't go down too well with the manager. I'm knackered, but I've ended up playing another 90.

"But the rewards are so massive at the end of the season that you have to beat the tiredness.''

Sunderland have injury worries over Whitley (ankle), Gary Breen (neck) and Darren Williams (hamstring).

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