SUNDERLAND manager Mick McCarthy has revealed he may unleash Kevin Kyle on the Brentford defence on Saturday as the Black Cats'secret FA Cup weapon.

Winger Julio Arca, who believes there is a new lease of life in the dressing room following last weekend's win at West Brom, has missed providing the towering striker with a supply of crosses to compete for this season.

And Arca is looking forward to making up for lost time with Kyle, who may be a surprise addition to the squad which travels to the capital for the fourth-round tie at Griffin Park.

The Scotland international could be on the bench for tonight's reserve fixture with Manchester United but has not figured in a Sunderland game since an old hip injury resurfaced after the defeat at Reading in August 2004.

After coming through two reserve team games unscathed - the latest of which was on Tuesday, when he lasted just over 80 minutes - manager Mick McCarthy has revealed Kyle could be involved this weekend.

Arca, for one, is delighted. "It's good to see him back," said the tricky Argentinean, knowing his team-mate must prove himself between now and the end of the campaign to earn a new contract.

"He has been out for an awfully long time and there is no doubt that we have missed him. He could be a key player for us in the second half of the season.

"We haven't really got another player like him. He is so strong and he will fight against defenders from the first minute to the last. Kevin is different to any of the other strikers at the club. He is the strong one in the squad. He is the one that is going to make opposition defenders uncomfortable because of his physical power.

"That could bring something different to the team. It is always nice to have different striking options that you can swap around if things are not working out."

Despite Kyle's chance of being in the squad that travels to London, McCarthy is likely to stick with the Jon Stead and Anthony le Tallec pairing that has shown encouraging signs in recent matches.

Arca, despite the club's perilous position at the foot of the Premiership, would love the Scotsman's return to coincide with a run to the FA Cup final, a step further than they managed when losing to Millwall in April 2004 at Old Trafford.

"We got to the semi-final two years ago and that was a massive thing for this club, so it would be nice to go that little bit beyond," said Arca. "I'm looking forward to the game at Brentford. It will be a hard game because, when a lower team plays a Premiership team in the FA Cup, they always make it into a fight.

"They will be giving it 110 per cent because they have nothing to lose. We will have to be ready to match their effort."

The fourth-round tie at with Brentford, of League One, offers Sunderland the chance to forget about their failings in the top-flight this season, where they have won just twice. But, having only earned the second of those five days ago, Arca insists there is renewed beliefthat good times are on the horizon again.

* Sunderland have been given extra tickets for the tie at Brentford. In uncovered standing areas, they are priced £6 senior citizens and £3 under-16s, and are available from the Stadium of Light ticket office until noon tomorrow.

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