English League Championship: Sunderland manager Roy Keane is enjoying the perfect partnership with former international team-mate Niall Quinn as they attempt to resurrect the club's fortunes.

As Keane prepared his side for today's trip to Ipswich, he admitted the chairman has been as good as his word. He said with a smile: "It is very, very straightforward, no problem. I never see him. I think he has gone on holiday. No, we are fine. We bounce things off each other, and that suits everybody.

"Obviously, Niall is looking after the off-the-field stuff and building the club up, and that suits Niall."

Three points at Ipswich would rekindle hopes of a return to the Premiership, with Graham Kavanagh predicting big things if they can put together a run of eight or nine games unbeaten. But Keane knows the margins are very fine. He said: "I think Kav should be the manager. He makes it sound very easy."

Keane has major injury concerns ahead of today's match with Stephen Elliott and Daryl Murphy out injured, David Connolly is a major doubt, Jon Stead is touch and go, and Chris Brown has an ankle injury.