Vito Mannone has revealed that Sunderland will use Wednesday's clash with Manchester City to gather information for the Capital One Cup final with the Sky Blues.
The Italian goalkeeper could be set for a busy night at the Etihad Stadium tomorrow, with Manuel Pellegrini's men boasting no fewer than 42 league goals at Eastlands alone this season.
"It will be a test at Man City," he told the Sunderland Echo. "But a good one for us, even if they are really strong at home.
"Everybody agrees they are scoring goals for fun and we will need to be at our best to defend really well and do something attacking.
"It's going to be a tough game, but it will put something in our minds of what we're going to do in the final."
Wednesday's encounter is scheduled to kick off at 7.45pm.