GIANT Sunderland striker Danny Dichio last night fired down suggestions that there is any bad feeling between him and the man who is keeping him out of the first team, Republic of Ireland international Niall Quinn.

The 26-year-old Londoner gets a rare chance to lead the Wearsiders' attack in place of the rested Quinn if tonight's Worthington Cup third round tie at Bristol Rovers gets the go-ahead, but he went out of his way to refute rumours that the two rivals don't see eye to eye.

"Some people outside the club seem to think we don't really get on well with each other. But that's not the case at all," said Dichio.

"I am probably Niall's biggest fan and I think we both look up to each other.

"Niall is a nice guy and a top man who is always ready to talk to the younger players, including myself and Kevin Phillips and try to pass on his experience.

"There's no-one I look up to more than Niall and he has forged a great partnership with Kevin.

"I certainly couldn't ask for a better role model and if I can do what he has for this club over the past few years I will be more than satisfied."

Dichio is hoping that the bad weather will not deny him the chance to show manager Peter Reid he is still knocking on the first team door. There will be a pitch inspection at Memorial Park this morning to see if surface water, which has put the game in danger, has cleared.

Dichio said: "It will be good to be in the starting line-up and I know I have to grab my chance.

"But over the last two or three weeks I have been feeling good and I think I have been playing well in the reserves.

"It is good to step up into the first team and get the chance to show the gaffer just what I can do."

Dichio, who has only started one first team game this season, the 2-1 Worthington Cup second round, second leg victory at Luton, accepts that the Quinn-Phillips partnership has done so well it cannot be broken up.

"It's not really frustrating because they are playing so well together, but sometimes you feel as though you are banging your head against a brick wall.

"I've just got to keep on my toes, try to improve and show the gaffer that if he needs me I can come in and do a good job.

"I've never really thought of moving somewhere else to get first team football because I feel I can do something for this club and I have to prove to myself that I can.

"Sunderland have shown their faith in me by giving me a new four-year contract and I would like to repay that confidence in me."

Sunderland will not make as many changes as they did at Kenilworth Road against a Bristol Rovers side which claimed the scalp of Everton over two legs in the last round, but Quinn, Emerson Thome, Jody Craddock and Julio Arca will not be travelling to the West Country.

It looks as though Reid will take the opportunity of playing Slovakian skipper Stanislav Varga, who has been in training for a week after recovering from surgery on a ruptured leg muscle, in the heart of his defence alongside Paul Butler.

Varga, who had an outstanding debut in the 1-0 home win over Arsenal in the opening game of the season, was injured in the next match, a 4-2 defeat at Manchester City, and had to undergo two operations which left him with over 40 stitches in his leg.

Sunderland's assistant manager, Bobby Saxton, was impressed with the way Varga handled Premiership football following his £750,000 close-season transfer.

"The lad has a lot of qualities and looks as though he can become a very good player."

Saxton, however, has warned his players that they must be on top form if they are to qualify for a fourth round tie against Watford or Manchester United.

"It will be a difficult task. They have one Premiership scalp and they will be looking for another and it's up to us to make sure they don't get it," he said. "If you don't give opposition teams respect you can end up on the wrong end of a bad result - Bristol Rovers will be up for it and we must make sure we are up for it."

Sunderland (from): Sorensen, Macho, Makin, Butler, Varga, Gray, Rae, Roy, Williams, Hutchison, Phillips, Dichio, Nunez, Thirlwell, Oster, Reddy, McCartney.

l If the game is given the go- ahead at 9.30 this morning Sunderland will fly from Newcastle this afternoon