Sunderland star looks forward to West Brom game

Apr 23 2009

Sunderland midfielder Grant Leadbitter is determined not to be involved in an annual fight for Barclays Premier League survival.

The 23-year-old local boy and his team-mates head for West Brom on Saturday knowing a second successive victory will all but ensure their participation in the top flight for a third season.

But having seen the Wearsiders scrap their way to a 15th-place finish under Roy Keane at the end of their first campaign back in the big time and then struggle to build on that this time around with Ricky Sbragia having replaced the Irishman, he is desperate for the club to take the next step.

Leadbitter said: "We all want to stay in this league. The Premier League is the best league in the world and everyone wants to play in it.

"Everyone wants to stay in the league, not just for ourselves and the club, but also for Ricky.

"He is a man-manager and he makes you want to be the best player that you can be. He is popular in the dressing room and we all want him to succeed.

"We want to stay in the Premier League and then push on next season and make sure we are not fighting relegation again."

Sunderland eased themselves back into 15th place as a result of last weekend's 1-0 home win over Hull, and will run out at The Hawthorns four points ahead of Middlesbrough and five better off than Newcastle inside the drop zone with just five games to go.

The victory over the Tigers, who have themselves been sucked back into the more at the foot of the table, was the Black Cats' first in seven attempts and came as a huge relief.

However, Leadbitter knows there is still work to be done, and last Saturday's success will count for little if they do not follow it up with another positive result against Tony Mowbray's side.