UNDER-FIRE Sunderland manager Peter Reid, facing an increasing barrage of criticism from disgruntled fans, believes he has the backing of the "silent majority."

As he prepared for today's formidable visit to face top-of-the-table Manchester United at Old Trafford, Reid admitted that the abuse he received after the 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Middlesbrough was not a pleasant experience.

He said: "It hasn't been nice these last few days after the Middlesbrough defeat and I can't say I've enjoyed it - but I've had worse things happen to me.

"I know the fans have their frustrations but there's still a silent majority who know the club is in good heart and they are backing me.

"You are only as good as your last game and we got beat - but I've had stick here before and it's been worse.

"As long as the fans keep supporting the players - and they have been - then there's no problem. I'm the man who takes the ultimate responsibility and that's part and parcel of the job.

"We all need to rally round."

Reid added: "When I first took charge of this club there were 12,000 supporters who turned up to watch and the other night there were 45,000.

"Even though we're going through a sticky patch the club is in great shape and that is a fact.

"We just need a bit of luck, a bit of magic to change things round."

Reid answers criticism of lack of activity in the transfer market by pointing to the recent signings of Jason McAteer, Claudio Reyna, and Joachim Bjorklund.

He said: "People are asking me about transfers, but the fact is that I've brought in three internationals during the last three months."

The Wearside boss in confident that his team is strong enough to get over the recent poor run, which has seen Sunderland slip to 13th place in the table, only three points off a relegation spot.

He admitted: "We've not been at our best but in some ways I think we've been intimidated about going to Old Trafford by the names we'll be coming up against.

"If you take away their last visit to the Stadium of Light, we've done as well against United at home as we did at Roker Park.

"I've a massive admiration and respect for United, but there should be no fear from my players.

"I've personally never found it intimidating going to Old Trafford and when you look at my players collectively and individually they've got a lot of experience.

"There are a lot of internationals who've played in some big games in the World Cup and European Championships, so going to Old Trafford shouldn't hold any fears for them and should be one of those games you relish going to."

Reid will introduce his latest £1.5m signing from Venezia, Swedish international Bjorklund, who missed the derby defeat against Middlesbrough because of a hitch in receiving international clearance from Italy.

He will go straight into the heart of defence, but Reid has not revealed who his partner will be, the ever-reliable Jody Craddock, or Slovakian international Stanislav Varga, who has played in the last four games.

But Swedish midfielder Stefan Schwarz, back in favour for the last two games after a lengthy absence from first team football, is suspended for one game after picking up his fifth booking of the season, while promising youngster Paul Thirlwell is still nursing an ankle injury.

* Sunderland midfielder Stefan Schwarz has admitted the chances of him making a comeback for Sweden are extremely slim.

Schwarz, 32, was part of the 1994 World Cup squad that finished third in the United States.

The tenacious midfielder would like to reach 70 international caps, but believes he will never figure for his country again.

''Sunderland is all that matters to me, but it will be fun following the World Cup,'' Schwarz said.

''It remains to be seen whether that will be at home or over there.

''It's unlikely I'll make a comeback for the national team, even after the World Cup. I'm satisfied with the 69 caps I've won so far, although it would have been nice to reach 70.

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