CUP HERO Danny Dichio is ready to return to the Sunderland firing line this afternoon determined to blast a way towards a place in Europe.

The 26-year-old Londoner, whose spectacular match-winning goal against Ipswich Town last week earned the Wearsiders an FA Cup fifth round tie against West Ham United, returns after a one-match suspension to again deputise for injured Republic of Ireland international Niall Quinn.

Dichio, who was signed from Sampdoria three years ago, is determined to win a regular first-team place and help Sunderland maintain their challenge near the top of the Premiership.

He is still annoyed with himself for being sent off for petulantly kicking the ball away, earning a double booking, in the FA Cup replay victory at Crystal Palace. The ban ruled him out of Wednesday's 1-0 home defeat by Manchester United, when he would have replaced the injured Quinn in the first half.

He said: "It was very frustrating - I could have been in there helping the lads out when they were struggling with nine men.

"It makes me even keener to do well when I get my chance and puts even more emphasis on the stupid mistake I made at Crystal Palace.

"It was just silly, a rush of blood, and it cost me the opportunity to come on against Manchester United and try to do well.

"But now I'm back in the reckoning against Derby County and it gives me another chance to show what I can do."

Dichio, a big, bustling striker, knows he will be judged on the goals he scores when he is in the team.

"If I can come into the team, do well and score then the gaffer is faced with a hard decision to make about who plays the following week.

"But I am just looking forward to getting another 90 minutes of football under my belt and trying to do my best."

Dichio got a phone call from his father Gianni in London before the Ipswich game telling him it was about time he opened his scoring account in the FA Cup - and the striker obliged with one of his best-ever headers.

He said: "It was a good goal and it was very important because it got us through to the next round of the Cup.

"At the time Ipswich were putting a bit of pressure on us and when we went in front I think it settled us down a bit.

"My dad said it was high time I scored in the Cup and I'm pleased I did. I'll have to get him to ring up every Friday night!"

Dichio shares a determination with his team-mates to maintain their challenge near the top of the table and he is hoping a victory at Derby this afternoon will signal a run to European qualification.

He said: "We have 13 games to go and these are the most important games of the season because they will be the real test of whether we can stay up there with the big guys and push our way into Europe, which is what we all want to do.

"Last season we had a really bad patch around Christmas which cost us dearly.

"We have to knuckle down now and make sure it does not happen again.We have some hard games coming up, starting with this one at Derby.

"They are battling for their lives and in Jim Smith they have a good manager.

"He has made a couple of good signings and they will make it hard for us. But we are confident in ourselves and if we can pass it and play as well as we can I'm sure we can get a result there