Sunderland manager Roy Keane has vowed to swing the axe after admitting his initial fears about certain players have been realised.

The Black Cats won Keane's first two matches in charge following his appointment seven weeks ago but they have since taken only four points from as many games.

Saturday's 4-1 humiliation at Preston left them just three points clear of the relegation zone and was the final straw for Keane, who believes changes are necessary if his side are to be competitive.

Keane has already loaned Rory Delap and Jon Stead to Stoke and Derby respectively and winger Andy Welsh is poised to join Leicester on loan until the end of the year.

"I've given players a chance by chopping and changing the side but the party is over now for some of them," warned Keane ahead of tomorrow's trip to Stoke.

"You see performances and some of it is confirming what I thought about certain players. The things that come to the forefront often confirm my initial reaction seven weeks ago.

"It has just confirmed in my mind who I want to take with me and who I don't. That will be seen in my next few teams and there may be one or two players going out [on loan] again."

Keane brought in six new players upon his appointment: David Connolly, Liam Miller, Stanislav Varga, Ross Wallace, Dwight Yorke and Graham Kavanagh.

A crippling injury list has not helped their cause in recent weeks but Keane is clearly prepared to discard those players who he feels are not up to the task.

The former Republic of Ireland captain - who is expected to hand Yorke a starting role at Stoke while Miller should return from injury - was disappointed at the manner of his side's surrender at Preston.

Keane added: "There are going to be games where we go behind but we have to react in a positive way and we didn't really do that on Saturday.

"I've been pretty fair with most of the players, but over the next four, five or six weeks I will be looking to get a more settled team."  PA