Sunderland keeper Mart Poom has urged Mick McCarthy to count him in for Sunday's promotion showdown with West Bromwich Albion. And, with George McCartney and Stephen Wright both hoping to join the Estonian when he returns to make his 50th appearance in the Black Cats' goal, the club's fading hopes of avoiding the play-offs were last night given a major boost. Poom, an ever-present in the league until Good Friday, has missed his side's last two games having suffered a dead leg at Wimbledon nine days ago. But he is expected to resume training with the first-team squad this morning with a view to making his first-team comeback at the weekend. "My aim is to be fit for Sunday, which is, of course, a very big match for us," said the former Derby County star, who is confident of replacing the unfortunate Thomas Myhre for a game McCarthy's men must win to stand any chance of winning automatic promotion to the Premiership. "I have been very fortunate with injuries this year and, apart from the Carling Cup game against Huddersfield, I have played in every match, league and cup. "That is why it has been so frustrating for me to be sidelined with an injury like this - I love to train every day and I'm really disappointed when I can't but I hope to be able to resume training with the team on Thursday morning. Sometimes I do try to do too much too soon because I want to play so much, but the staff have been great in helping me through this injury and I'm grateful that I have only had to miss two games." Myhre deputised for Poom during last Friday's encounter with Sheffield United and, in his first Sunderland home match for 18 months, did not put a foot wrong as the Black Cats secured a 3-0 victory. But the Norwegian was not so fortunate at Portman Road on Monday as he conceded the penalty which enabled Tommy Miller to secure the 1-0 victory for Ipswich which has left the Wearsiders with a mountain to climb in their bid for automatic promotion. Three points against West Brom on Sunday is a must if McCarthy's men are to keep their slim hopes alive and, for a game of such magnitude, the Sunderland boss will want his number one back between the posts to face Gary Megson's men. Whether McCartney and Wright are able to join Poom remains to be seen, with the duo still battling to shake off the respective ankle and thigh problems which have sidelined them in recent weeks. But the news from the Black Cats physios was promising last night and the defensive pair are both rated as having a good chance of putting themselves in contention for a first-team comeback. Sunderland have faced a gruelling schedule in recent weeks, with the Black Cats, in action eight times in March, having already played four times in April. Three of the club's last four fixtures have been away and the long trips to Manchester, Milton Keynes and Ipswich have taken their toll on a squad who will be in action at Crystal Palace and Wigan before the end of the month. McCarthy admitted that his players were starting to feel the pace following their defeat at Portman Road on Easter Monday and with the club's automatic promotion hopes hinging on the outcome of their meeting with West Brom, the Wearsiders have been granted two days of rest this week. Of those likely to feature on Sunday, only Jeff Whitley and Marcus Stewart were involved in Tuesday's reserve game and McCarthy will be hoping his players will be refreshed when training resumes at the Academy of Light this morning. | 
