WHEN Roy Keane took over from Niall Quinn in the manager's chair at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland were languishing in the Championship's relegation zone.

Today, with promotion hopefuls Preston North End on Wearside, the Black Cats have every chance of starting the new year in a play-off place - not a bad four months work for a rookie boss.

Victories over the Lilywhites and at Leicetser on January 1 would have secured nine points from their last three matches and Sunderland would be within a shout of a place in the top two, never mind the top six.

It has been a turnaround in fortunes that heralded a 40,000-plus crowd at the Stadium of Light for the first time this season on Boxing Day, and a similar attendance could be there today in the hope of witnessing a fifth home win in a row.

And Keane, knowing his side are three points from sixth placed West Brom and seven shy of second-placed Preston, is excited by what is around the corner.

"If you want to go anywhere then you want to pick up points along the way at home, the crowd was fantastic the other day and if we can keep going and get the crowd up to the 49,000 mark again that would be great," said the Sunderland boss.

"When I took over the big challenge was to get away from the bottom of the table, we did that. The next test was to get in the play-offs and hopefully we can achieve that in the next couple of weeks.

"Every team will have their ups and downs during a season and it's down to the players to rise to the challenge and accept that."

While Sunderland head into today's clash with Preston on the back of just one defeat in ten in front of their own fans, Paul Simpson's men are going through a difficult period, winning just two of their last seven.

Tommy Miller, playing his last game before returning to Wearside after a loan spell, could play.

Keane, though, feels his players will be out to avenge the 4-1 drubbing they received at Deepdale back on October 14.

"I hope it won't be 4-1 on Saturday," said Keane. "We have moved on since then, it's fresh in my mind and hopefully we have improved slightly.

"Nobody likes getting beaten, especially 4-1. We had a lot of supporters that day and it will be fresh in their minds as well. It provides a different challenge for all of us and hopefully we will give them a much tougher game. They have been the best team we have played so far this season."

Former Sunderland striker Danny Dichio starts a three match ban after having his appeal for his red card at West Brom turned down.