Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill has confessed that he is surprised at how well the Black Cats have done since he took charge.
O'Neill was appointed successor to Steve Bruce back in December and has since taken the Wearside club from the verge of the relegation zone to the top half of the Premier League.
In addition to their fine league form, Sunderland have a possible date at Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final tie against Liverpool, should they beat the Reds' Merseyside rivals Everton in the last eight.
"I wouldn't have envisaged us being even in the semi-final draw, for what it's worth," said O'Neill.
"We still obviously haven't passed the quarter-final stage, but to be actually in a semi-final draw and at least to know who you might play if there was a possibility of getting through.
"But more importantly than that, the number of points we have been able to accumulate, I wouldn't have envisaged that at all."
Sunderland currently sit ninth in the Premier League table, with 37 points from 28 games.
Joe Fish
