DEAN Whitehead is happy to accept his role as Sunderland's Mr Versatile - so long as he's playing every week.

The central midfielder has become an emergency right back this campaign and has also filled in on the right wing as injuries have taken their toll on Roy Keane's squad.

Whitehead played against Luton last Saturday after suffering a hamstring injury and at Burnley on Saturday he is likely to again be employed in an emergency full-back role, with Nyron Nosworthy still out with an abdominal strain.

While his preference would be a central midfield berth, the 24-year-old is in no mood to start complaining.

"There's no problem with switching between positions," said Whitehead, who earlier this season decided he wanted to concentrate on playing and relinquished the captaincy.

"We've got a few injuries at right-back at the moment so the gaffer's put me there to do a job, so that's what I'm doing.

"We've got a lot of good midfielders, a lot of good players all over the pitch, so you always want to be in the first XI. Dwight Yorke, Graham Kavanagh to name a couple.

"They're all good players who've played at World Cups. They're helping the young lads and players like me along all the time. It's good for the squad.

"I just hope I've got an important role to play."

Whitehead believes Sunderland's run of four wins from the last six games has finally put to rest last season's embarrassing Premiership campaign, when they managed just three league wins all season.

The former captain believes the return of a winning mentality has been helped by Keane's appointment as manager

"We're starting to grind out results when we're not playing well, which is always a good sign," said the former Oxford United player.

"When the gaffer first came in we were winning a couple and losing a couple but now we're on a nice little run.

"We're six unbeaten - we've won four of those - and we want to keep it going. The gaffer's come from Man United, who were used to winning every week, and I think him and the staff are really starting to get the winning mentality back at the club.

"Hopefully we're starting to turn that around and we're moving onwards and upwards.

"You don't particularly notice much but he's a winner, he wants to win and he wants everything done properly. Once you do things properly that's when you start to win."

With the transfer window opening in less than three weeks and Keane likely to be a major player, Whitehead knows that competition for places in the Black Cats starting XI will intensify.

That increased pressure can only be of benefit to the side, according to Whitehead, with players knowing any below-par performances could see them out of the team.

"Results are showing how things are coming together," said Whitehead.

"There's plenty of quality in there so we've got plenty of options. The new lads have come in and settled well and we're looking really strong at the moment.

"It (the transfer window) does keep you on your toes. But the gaffer's going to bring his players in and those players who are already here have got to make sure they keep the shirt."