Man in the middle
Sunderland EchoDWIGHT Yorke is ready to plug a midfield gap for Sunderland if called upon by boss Roy Keane tomorrow.
The Black Cats could be without wide men Liam Lawrence and Ross Wallace at Preston tomorrow, while Liam Miller has a foot problem and central midfielder Graham Kavanagh continues to recuperate from knee surgery.
Toby Hysen should keep his place on the left if Wallace doesn't make it, but with no proven right-winger available in Lawrence's absence, Keane could be forced into a reshuffle – Dean Whitehead possibly being a candidate to move onto the wing.
Yorke said: "I quite enjoy the challenge of midfield. I played there in the World Cup and it was a lot of fun.
"I wouldn't have a problem playing there and it is good for the manager to know that I am flexible.
"You just don't know what the boss might be thinking, but knowing him as I do, I don't think he sees me as a midfielder.
"He has played with me at Manchester United as the link man between midfield and the striker.
"I guess we'll all find out when the team is announced on Saturday."
Yorke returned to training with Sunderland this week after featuring in Trinidad & Tobago's 5-0 friendly with St Vincent and the Grenadines last weekend.
He returned to England before T&T's second friendly against Panama to give himself plenty of time to prepare for the Deepdale game.
Yorke said: "I've got the journey out of my system and I'm fine.
"I've been doing this for a number of years and I know how to manage it. I should have played on Wednesday but I didn't want to because that would not have given me sufficient time here before our game."
Thirty-four-year-old Yorke has played three times for Sunderland since joining from Sydney FC and believes he is progressing well.
He added: "I'm getting better, but there is a lot of room for improvement.
"The lads are still getting to know each other on the pitch because there have been a few new faces here, but I think there is plenty to give us encouragement and we can all improve as a team.
"Preston tomorrow will be a big challenge for all of us – a test of character and we have to show what we are made of.
"Preston are buoyant and playing well and we know they have got some decent players.
"But I am quietly confident that, if we play to our capability, we can overcome them."
