SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid will order his team to go out at Charlton this afternoon with all guns blazing in a bid to shoot their way to safety.

"Three points at Charlton and we should be all right - that could be it and we've got to aim for that and be positive," he said.

Reid looks set to make at least four changes as he tries to end a run of five consecutive defeats this season in London - and solve a major goalscoring problem which has been at the heart of the Wearsiders' troubles this season.

But with the emphasis on attack it looks as though there will be returns at The Valley for skipper Michael Gray, full-back Bernt Haas, Republic of Ireland midfielder Jason McAteer and Cameroon striker Patrick Mboma.

Former England striker Kevin Phillips, desperate to break a barren run of ten games without a goal, is expected to recover from an ankle injury which forced his substitution in the 3-0 defeat at West Ham last week.

Three consecutive defeats has seen Sunderland slip to fourth bottom with a worse goal difference than Ipswich Town, who clawed their way to within two points of Reid's men with a hard-fought home win over Middlesbrough in midweek.

Ipswich, who play Manchester United at Portman Road tonight (kick-off 5.35), will know what they have to do to escape the drop.

Reid said: "The difference in kick-off times is something you have to deal with.

"It could work for you and it could work against you.

"At the end of the day it's up to you when the whistle blows - I don't worry about television times or whatever anyone else is doing.

"It's a very important game and the significance is there for all to see.

"We're desperate to get the result we need and certainly we'll have to improve on last week's performance, which wasn't acceptable, but our destiny is in our own hands."

With central midfielders Gavin McCann and Claudio Reyna suspended, Reid could try a re-shuffle, with Gray being asked to play an attacking role on the left flank, with Republic of Ireland winger Kevin Kilbane asked to switch.

And Mboma, the last player to score away from home, in the 2-1 defeat at Spurs, could be paired with Phillips in a bid to break a dismal run of four away games without a goal.

Reid admitted: "The lack of goals is a major problem.

"We've got to start getting goals and that's what we're impressing on the players - but we've got players who can score goals.

"It's a team game both attacking and defending, but our goalscoring hasn't been that clever this year.

"The Charlton game is so crucial it's not a game where we can take chances and players have to be 100 per cent to play.

"It's a blow to lose our two suspended midfielders but there's a possibility of playing Jason McAteer in the middle as he's given us something when he's played in that position."

There is a fortnight's break until the final game of the season, against already-relegated Derby County at the Stadium of Light, with the FA Cup Final in between.

Reid admitted: "For the life of me I don't know why the FA Cup isn't the last match of the season - it's that good and such a massive competition it should be played last.

"It's the best challenge cup competition in the world and I don't know who makes these decisions, but not having it last is a slight on the competition and supporters of both clubs involved."

Reid appreciates the disappointment Sunderland fans have felt this season, when everyone expected the club to be challenging for a place in Europe after twice finishing seventh in the table.

He admitted: "We're not in this game from my point of view to be playing matches like this at the wrong end of the table, but players are paid to get results.

"We know there's a lot of pressure on, but we've got ourselves into this position and we've got to get out of it in what has been a disappointing season."

Reid knows Charlton boss Alan Curbishley since their days with the England Under-21 squad.

And Reid said: "He's a fella I hold in the highest esteem and someone I've known for a long time, but I don't think he'll be doing me any favours and I don't expect any.

"It's always nice to see him, but it will be even nicer to come back with three points.

"We've got to forget about them being on a bad run and go out and do the job.

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