SUNDERLAND midfielder Jonjo Dickman could make a dramatic full debut in Saturday's Wear-Tyne derby as Mick McCarthy tackles an injury crisis.

Dickman, 21, is on standby after Julio Arca limped out of Monday's defeat at Manchester City with bruised shins.

Arca missed training yesterday, while Gavin McCann's hip injury kept him out of the Maine Road encounter.

Darren Williams could be deployed as an emergency midfielder, but the continued absence of Stephen Wright means he may have to stay at right-back.

Matty Piper and Paul Thirlwell are also unfit ahead of a match that Sunderland approach on the back of a 12-game losing run.

Dickman, whose first senior appearance was as a sub at City, wants McCarthy to pitch him into the white-hot atmosphere of Saturday's Stadium of Light clash.

He said: "I've had a taste of it and now I want more. To play in a big stadium in front of a big crowd was brilliant. I thought I did OK at City, and hopefully from here I can get involved more and more. This is what you aim for and you can't beat the feeling."

McCarthy does not just have a selection headache in midfield as he plans for his first derby since taking over at Sunderland six weeks ago.

Marcus Stewart is suspended for the final three games of the season, while Kevin Phillips is doubtful with a groin strain.

For Dickman, Monday's Premiership bow was a reward for a string of good performances in the reserves after he recovered from a cruciate ligament injury.

He suffered knee damage last year but he has shrugged off that major setback to reach the first-team squad in a wretched season for Sunderland.

Dickman said: "I've had a couple of bad injuries which have held me back, and at times playing in the Premiership has seemed a long way off. You hear about players who have cruciate injuries and some of them are never the same when they come back.

"There were worries, but the medical staff were great and have done a really good job with me. I came back earlier than I expected.

"It's nice to get back playing. I've been at Sunderland since I left school - five years ago - and it's been a long wait to play for the first team.

"Everybody was disappointed after the City game. I thought I did OK, but no matter how you play you want to win.

"The manager will just keep working hard. He's got all the right ideas and he's a very determined man. He has a chance to turn things around.

"I was pleased with some things I did; there were other things I could have done better, the same as everybody. I travelled to Manchester not expecting to be in the 16, so I was delighted just to be in the squad.

"When the manager told me to get ready to go on, there was all sorts going through my head."

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