The Black Cats slipped to within three points of the drop zone at the weekend after their 1-0 defeat at Manchester City and results elsewhere.

However, the form of Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Edwards at Eastlands on his return to the starting line-up was a plus, and Sbragia is keeping his fingers crossed that he can help misfiring strikers Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse to end their drought.

Sbragia told the Sunderland Echo: "Carlos is the one player we have got who can get behind teams, and that's a valuable quality to have.

"We have got Andy Reid who who can put a great ball in from the wing, Steed Malbranque who can thread a lovely pass or show great vision, but Carlos is the one who has the pace to get in behind teams to put a cross over, and that's something we have lacked generally."