Kevin Phillips insists tomorrow's clash against his former club will not turn into a revenge mission.

The England striker was famously rejected by Saints as a trainee when he was a slightly-built full-back.

He has since filled out and developed into one of the most potent strikers in the country, scoring 30 Premiership goals last season.

After scoring both goals in last season's corresponding game against Southampton he told the Echo he believed Chris Nicholl had done him a favour in hindsight by giving him a point to prove.

And he is adamant there are no grudges held ahead of tomorrow's clash at the Stadium of Light and that his sole aim is to rediscover his scoring touch.

Although he converted a penalty against Chelsea on October 14, Phillips has not found the net in open play since September 23 against Liverpool and missed a spot-kick in last week's 2-1 defeat at Tottenham.

He said: "I have not scored for a month which is a long time for me and getting goals will be the only thing on my mind tomorrow.

"A lot has been written about the fact Southampton dumped me as a kid. At the time it was one of the worst blows of my life but that is all history now.

"It is a completely different club to the one I joined and there is hardly anyone left who was there when I was an apprentice. Things have worked out well for me since - I have no regrets. I just want to get back on the scoresheet tomorrow to help Sunderland get three points."

Ironically Phillips' mini goal drought has coincided with his side's best spell of the season.

Prior to the defeat at White Hart Lane, Sunderland had gone nine games unbeaten, the previous four with clean sheets.

Phillips, last season's leading Premiership marksman, has been playing in a more withdrawn role this time round.

The thinking is that defenders will now be wise to him so manager and former Saints midfielder Peter Reid has dropped him back to play just behind Niall Quinn.

That gives defenders the dilemma of whether to come out which they hate to do or to stay back and give him the space which he can use to destroy them.

In practice Phillips has found himself a shade too far away from goal to be truly effective - a dilemma shared on occasions by Marian Pahars out in a wide role.

The little Latvian has not scored for five games since the 3-1 home defeat by Middlesbrough on September 30 but has recently shown signs of regaining his sparkle going close against both Coventry and Chelsea.