9:30am Tuesday 9th March 2010
By Liam Chronnell
OWEN Coyle has been delighted with Wanderers’ resurgence but has warned his players: We’re not safe yet.
The Whites moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a superb 2-1 victory at West Ham on Saturday.
And following their first back-to-back wins in the league for more than a year, a collective sigh of relief has swept through the Reebok ahead of tonight’s trip to relegation rivals Sunderland.
But Coyle insists Wanderers are still fighting for their Premier League lives. “We’re still in a dangerous position,” the manager said. “The wins have taken us out of the bottom three and elevated us up the league, but there’s still seven or eight clubs involved in it (the relegation battle).
“We know the only way out of it is to win points which we’ve been able to do in the last two games, but we’re still very much in the thick of it.”
He added: “The single biggest thing is we carried on the good work we did against Wolves and we’ve got a bit of momentum going.
“The level of performance was fantastic and that’s what we need again.”
Victory against Sunderland — two points worse off than Wanderers after a 16-game winless run — at the Stadium of Light would be another huge boost for Wanderers’ survival hopes.
It would also be the first time they have won three in a row since Christmas 2006.
Coyle knows a victory for Steve Bruce’s side could be the boost they need to move clear of danger — and wants his side to pile on the Black Cats’ misery.
“Sunderland will be a tough game but one we’re looking forward to now and feel we can go and get points from,” he said.
“They’ve spent good money to bring some quality players to the football club. They’ve had injuries and that’s not helped, but they do have a nucleus of a terrific group of players.
“They carried all before them in the early part of the season and, if they get that lift, then they’ll be up and running again.
“We’ve got to make sure they don’t get it against us.”
Tamir Cohen is suspended for tonight’s clash after being sent off at Upton Park, but Mark Davies could be back.
The midfielder has been nursing an ankle problem which has kept him out of Wanderers’ last three matches, but he returned to training yesterday and could be in the squad.
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