Defender ready for action

Sunderland defender Carlos Cuellar insists he is fit and ready to play in Sunday's derby clash with Newcastle.

The 31-year-old was recalled to the side for the clash with Manchester City last time out, having been out of the side with a hamstring injury, but he claims the extra two weeks off since that game has done him good. Cuellar signed on a free agent in the summer, after his deal at Aston Villa ran out, is looking ahead to his first Tyne-Wear derby and believes the Black Cats can take something out of the City game despite the defeat. "This is a good opportunity for me, it's a derby game," said the Spaniard. "The City game was the first one I played after my injury, but now I've had a bit more time to prepare and I feel great. "I've got my fitness levels back and we were very disappointed at Manchester City because after five minutes we were behind to a free-kick goal. "But, even so, we can take confidence from it because we hung in there, we were good and we were strong. "We have already showed how good we are defensively and how good we are attacking. "We've had the opportunity to have a break, to relax and prepare for the game on Sunday."