Don Hutchison yesterday put Sunderland on Euro red alert and urged manager Peter Reid not to worry about the possibility of a blow-up.

Reid is wary of discussing the prospect of playing European football next season after watching his side self-destruct a year ago and endure a three-month run without a victory.

But a ten-point Christmas has hoisted the Wearsiders into joint second place in the Premiership and revived the prospect of gate crashing the Champions League.

Even the most sceptical fan now acknowledges that something special is happening at the Stadium of Light, which Reid and his players have turned into a fortress.

And even though the boss continues to fight shy of Europe talk, Hutchison insists that the players have no such hang-ups.

Reid joked: "Three more points and we'll be safe from relegation."

But his Scottish international midfielder outlined a more ambitious New Year's resolution after the 4-1 demolition of Ipswich - to help striker Kevin Phillips back into the England team and Sunderland into Europe for the first time for 27 years.

Hutchison said: "When I signed from Everton in the summer I mentioned Europe and Peter Reid said he had the players to get us there.

"That's what persuaded me to sign. Everton are a big club but Sunderland are bigger. I'm sick of watching the big boys playing on Wednesday night in the Champions league and that's where I want us to be.

"It's my job to help us qualify for Europe and then the big stars will want to play for Sunderland.

"You have to aim as high as you can because if you settle for a place in mid-table that's all you'll get. But if you shoot for the Champions League and finish in Europe that's great.

"I can't say we are as good as Arsenal and Manchester United - they are two massive clubs with great players. But we are getting there.

"We were a bit in awe of Arsenal at Highbury last weekend but we showed we could battle in the second half and deserved our point.

"That sums us up. We are an honest bunch of players who will give everything for the team.

"The gaffer hasn't stopped us talking about Europe and he doesn't refuse to discuss it. In the back of his mind he just has the memory of last season's run without a win.

"But I think he realises that the players are stronger than last year. We just have to maintain our unbeaten home record. Winning home matches is what gets you into European contention."

Sunderland have come up on the rails after a dodgy start to the season and have lost only twice in 17 Premiership games.

They are level on points with Arsenal and steamrollering into 2001 confident in the knowledge that Phillips is again firing on all cylinders.

The 26-year-old striker had a slow start after missing all the warm-up games because of injury.

But in the last few weeks he has shown that last season's 30-goal tally was no fluke. He took his total for the current campaign to 12 with the clincher against Ipswich. And seven of those have come in the last eight games.

Now the debate on Wearside centres on when, not whether, he will get into Sven Goran Eriksson's England squad.

Hutchison said: "I thought Kevin was great even when he wasn't scoring. But his performance against Ipswich was the best I have seen him play.

"He's different class. He's a top man and it's our job to help him get back into the England reckoning.

"Players like Kev want to score but the rest of the team knows how hard he works and how well he is playing."

Meanwhile, Danny Dichio's performance against Ipswich has almost certainly earned the striker another starting spot against Crystal Palace in Saturday's third round FA cup-tie at the Stadium of Light