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Yorke pleads for return chance
Sunderland, 13:22, September 4, 2008 ,
Dwight Yorke has provided manager Roy Keane with a headache by revealing he wants his place back in the Sunderland first team.
The Championship League winner saw his hopes of a starting shirt for the new Premier League season wrecked when he suffered a fractured eye socket during the club's pre-season clash with Vitoria Setubal in Portugal.
Yorke has since seen Keane deliver on his promise of big signings by bringing in fellow midfielders Steed Malbranque and Teemu Tainio to increase competition for places.
The 36-year-old did make the bench for the 3-0 home defeat by Manchester City last time out and is now setting his sights on breaking back into the team.
He told the Sunderland Echo: "I'm three or four weeks behind the rest of the lads in terms of match fitness, but I was able to stay fairly active when I had the injury.
"I do feel a fully-fit Dwight Yorke has a part to play or I wouldn't have signed a new contract. I had a long chat with the manager in the summer, he said he felt I could play a part in the Premier League.
"That was good enough for me and that's why I signed the deal. I knew he would be bringing a lot of players and competition would be intense, but that is what we all live for.
"Obviously I feel I can compete against these guys. I can bring the experience that we still need."