SUNDERLAND captain Michael Gray gets the chance at West Ham this afternoon to ressurrect his England career by impressing the man who'd never heard of him - Sven Goran Eriksson.

The new England coach admitted when he was appointed ten weeks ago that he didn't know who the Sunderland left back was, much to the bemusement of onlookers at the Swede's first press conference.

Eriksson has had his card marked since following a series of consistent performances by Gray as an ever-present in a Sunderland side which has climbed to third place in the table, and there can be no doubt he will be paying special attention to the Wearsider at Upton Park.

Gray, who missed last week's disappointing goalless FA Cup third round home tie against Crystal Palace, has shaken off a knee injury and is ready to return to League action.

The defender refused yesterday to talk about playing in front of the new England boss, but it is no secret that he has a burning desire to add to the three caps he won under Kevin Keegan.

Gray is proud to wear the captain's armband for his home-town team and being an ever-present in a team which has done so well this season gives him special satisfaction.

He said: "My knee is fine now after the rest - if I'd played against Crystal Palace it would have been so sore it would have meant missing Premiership matches and I didn't want that to happen.

"Being an ever-present in the Premiership this season means a lot to me and when you see where we are in the league at the moment you want to be playing in the first team.

"It's great to be involved with the lads at the moment - we look a strong outfit, we are scoring goals and we are hard to score against as well and that's the makings of a good side. We are enjoying our football at the moment."

Gray forged an impressive attacking left-wing partnership with teenage winger Julio Arca, who has now returned to South America to help Argentina's FIFA Under-20 World Cup qualifying bid, but he feels it is the defensive side of his game which has improved most this season.

He said: "I am a defender first and foremost - I've got to try to help keep clean sheets at the back.

"I know I will get forward as much as I can and try to get the ball into the box for our strikers, that's the way I am."

He added: "I feel I am a more mature player now - I have got more experience after having played another season in the top flight with quality players."

Gray believes he learned a lot last season from former England and Arsenal defender Steve Bould, who was forced into early retirement through injury.

He said: "He was great round the dressing room.

"It is great to have players like that at the club because you can learn so much from them - he showed people how to defend properly.

"He did it as well as anyone for the past ten years playing in a fantastic Arsenal team and brought that experience with him. I'm sure that everyone who played at the back learned from him."

Gray admits getting a kick out of being captain.

He said: "It's great honour to lead the lads out of the tunnel at home and away but once you are out there you need 11 captains."

Also hoping to become an England regular under the new national team boss is striker Kevin Phillips, and he said: "I've read that the England coach is going to be there and hopefully he'll be looking at as many Sunderland players as he will West Ham."

"They've got some great young players like Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick.

"But I've also seen the new coach's name linked with myself, Michael Gray, Gavin McCann and Jody Craddock."

l Sunderland's showdown with Manchester United on January 31 is likely to be massively over-subscribed by fans and the club have announced only supporters buying a ticket for the game with Bradford on the 21st will be offered the opportunity to purchase a ticket for that match at point of sale - subject to availability.

A random ballot will be drawn on January 22 for any remaining tickets and fans can apply for a maximum of two tickets by postal application only.

Applications must include either a cheque made payable to Sunderland AFC, with the amount left blank, or credit card details (no AMEX or Diners). Applications, with SAE, to: Ballot, PO Box 165, Sunderland SR5 IWF.