THOMAS MYHRE will come out of the shadows into the limelight at Sunderland this afternoon and manager Mick McCarthy has given the Norwegian his full backing.

The Scandinavian keeper is in line to replace Mart Poom against Sheffield United after the Estonian picked up a dead leg in Tuesday's win over Wimbledon.

It would be only Myhre's second League start for Sunderland since arriving in the summer of 2002 on a free transfer.

Following the club's relegation from the Premiership, the 30-year-old was told he could leave.

He spent three months on loan at Division One rivals Crystal Palace but a permanent move broke down over personal terms.

Sunderland must claim all three points today if they are to continue to chase the top two.

McCarthy said: "Poom will rest and have treatment. Tommy will play. I have had a Norwegian international on the bench so I have no worries.

"It is a credit to all the fringe players' professionalism that when they have come in they have done very well. Tommy has nothing to prove to me. He is a good keeper. He was up for sale for financial reasons, not football reasons."

After Myhre's full-time switch to Selhurst Park failed to materialise he returned to Sunderland and has been training with the first team ever since.

McCarthy, who has also turned to Joachim Bjorklund and Phil Babb this season after failing to move the players on, insists he is a firm believer in keeping everyone involved on a day-to-day basis.

"I played in teams where people were ostracised and that has never been my style," said the former Millwall, Barnsley and Celtic defender. "They train with the first team and they stay as part of the first team."

Tuesday's match-winner, Darren Byfield, is in line for a recall against the Blades. The 27-year-old has scored five times since moving from Rotherham United, despite only making three starts.

Byfield is one of a number of players out of contract this summer and McCarthy admits he has spoken to the players he intends to keep.

"We have started talks with who we want to stay. I am conscious of it. It is being dealt with," said the Sunderland boss, whose side travel to Ipswich on Monday.

"I think Byfield and Sunderland have been good for each other. He has done well. It is a different stage, it is a better stadium with more fans and it has inspired.

"He has improved. There is still improvement to come, but he has raised the bar a bit.

"To be recognised as a good striker here is OK. Maybe we will be the lucky recipients of him fulfilling his potential."

Sheffield United, just outside the top six, are one of eight clubs who have serious eyes on a play-off place and are just five points adrift of third-placed Sunderland.

McCarthy's men have not lost in eight League games and they have not been defeated at the Stadium of Light in Division One since August 16's reversal to Millwall.

But the Sunderland chief is preparing for a tough challenge with United - particularly after they were knocked out of the FA Cup on Wearside in March.

"Knowing Sheffield United and the way Neil Warnock gets his team up they will want something out of this game," he said. "They won't want to be pushed down the League. It will be a very tough game."

Meanwhile, United boss Warnock is demanding his players shed their nice-guy image.

Warnock is becoming fed up with the way his side are losing out in the physical battles of late, particularly as it is threatening to cost the Blades a play-off place.

United have lost their last two matches, slipping out of the top six for the first time this season, and now Warnock is urging them to toughen up.

He claimed they were bullied in their FA Cup exit at the Stadium of Light.

Warnock also insisted his players were ''too nice'' in losing at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, forcing the 55-year-old to speak with them about the situation.

''We've worked on certain things and made people aware of the situation. I've told them they have to be more clever and professional in certain areas,'' said Warnock.

''It's disappointing to have to discuss those type of things with them, but even the fourth official felt we were too nice last Saturday because we never appealed for anything or confronted anybody.

''Obviously, you shouldn't do things like that, but every other team seems to.

''If it's not in their nature, then I'm not going to ask them to go out and kick people or anything like that.

''All I'm saying is, if a ball is there to be won, then let's tackle for our lives and to hell with everything else.''

Sunderland can expect a rougher ride than they did in the Cup encounter.

''We are more ready this time,'' added Warnock, who will recall captain and centre-back Rob Page after being rested againt Forest.