John O'Shea has his eyes firmly fixed on a "cup final," but that game doesn't involve the FA Cup or a trip to Wembley, but rather a crucial battle against Swansea City in a game that could play a huge factor in determining whether or not Sunderland survive the drop.
Focus on the league
O'Shea's attention is clearly fixated on the game between the two sides struggling at the bottom of the table, and with Sam Allardyce admitting he is set to rest players for the cup, it's unlikely that the Sunderland skipper will even feature against Arsenal.
With the defender likely to be rested alongside several other first-team members, O'Shea should be more than prepared to lead his team into the Swansea game, where they will be hoping to put in a performance similar to one that earned them three points against the league's bottom placed side, Aston Villa.
But the former Manchester United center back does confess that a "cup run is great," and surely a surprise victory against an in-form Arsenal side could only do wonders for the confidence and morale of the Black Cats.
However, at the end of the day, it's "all about staying up" for Sunderland, hence why O'Shea and his manager have put their full focus on the league. Even though they are set to play three games in seven days, they can't afford to not pick up points at this stage in the season, especially against teams in and around the relegation zone.
Experience is crucial
For O'Shea, the struggle of fighting for each and every point to ensure the clubs safety is a feeling he has become all too familiar with, as for the past three seasons the Black Cats have been involved in a relegation scrap, fighting for their survival.
But, each season they have managed to somehow pull off the unthinkable and maintain their Premier League status, and that experience is something that "can help, without a doubt," according to the club captain.
He believes that they have"the character, the attitude and the application" to be able to move themselves up the table, but admits it's "down to [them]" to sort the mess that they are in.
However, the transfer market is now open, and Allardyce has already began attempting to do business to bring in some quality to give his squad the extra boost they could need to ensure they survive.