Sunderland's 'no fear' admission as much-improved side head into final week

Sunderland go into the final week of the season with their play-off fate in their own hands - and Alex Neil says he detects 'no fear' in his players as the campaign comes to a head. The play-off race is tight with - realistically, if not yet mathematically - five teams competing for three remaining places, assuming that Wigan, Rotherham, and MK Dons, have already done enough to account for the two automatic promotion spots and one of the play-off berths.

But Sunderland go into their last three games of the campaign knowing they will secure one of those places - and with it another crack at promotion - if they beat Cambridge at the Stadium of Light today, Rotherham at home on Tuesday, and win at Morecambe next Saturday. Neil has not spoken to the squad about the pressure they will be under in the final week, but says he will do so if he feels it would benefit them.

"It depends on what I feel the group needs," he said. "Intuition is a big thing in football.

"I look at the group, where I think they are at collectively, and individually. Sometimes it might just be speaking to a couple of individuals, sometimes it might be addressing them as a group.

"I certainly haven't seen any nerves or fear from the team in any way, shape, or form, over the last month. The mindset has been really positive and focused.

"There was just the sloppy [20 minute] spell against Shrewsbury, but I think that was more complacency than fear. If I feel it necessary to address it, I will address it, but up to this point I don't see any issues on that."

Arriving at this stage of the season with their play-off fate in their own hands is all Neil could ask for given that the club had to all intents and purposes blown its chances of automatic promotion