Sunderland forward Mary McAteer admitted it would be an “unbelievable experience” if the club earned promotion to the Women’s Super League.

The Black Cats sit top of the Championship table with 34 points going into the final four games of the season, but the race for promotion remains incredibly close.

Several teams are still in the running as Crystal Palace, Southampton and Charlton all sit just a point behind the Wearside outfit, while Birmingham are three points further back.

It is a remarkable turnaround for Sunderland, who avoided relegation last season after finishing second-bottom, and McAteer believes this year has been the “most competitive season” as the club aim to secure promotion to the top flight for the first time since 2018.

She told the PA news agency: “It would be unbelievable (to be promoted), an unbelievable experience.

“I think it’s where the club belongs and as a group of players, it would mean the world to us, to do it together would be an unbelievable experience.

“I think it’s the most competitive season there’s been in a long while, especially Championship and WSL in the women’s game.

“It’s amazing to have so many teams up there competing and being that competitive, I think it just shows how far the women’s game has come to have five teams up there and within points of each other.

“I do think for us it’s just exciting to be up there and be a part of it, we’re just going to keep our focus, not get carried away with it and take it game by game.

“We’re taking each game by game and we just know if we win all four games we win the league and that’s going to be our mindset going forward, so each game we have to win. So yeah, crunch time.”

Sunderland’s final stretch kicks off with a huge clash against local rivals Durham and as part of Women’s Football Weekend, the FA are highlighting four derbies including the River Wear derby taking place at Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground on Sunday.

This season’s River Wear clashes saw Sunderland take three points in their league meeting back in November thanks to Katie Kitching’s strike, but Durham emerged victors in the Continental Cup group game just three days later with a penalty shootout win after drawing 2-2 in regular time.

Durham are currently four points from safety in the standings, but long-serving defender Sarah Wilson is looking forward to Sunday’s game.

The Durham skipper told the PA news agency: “It’s exciting, there’s been a lot of hype around it and I think the past couple of years, the derbies are growing so it’s a good one. We’re all looking forward to it.

“We’re not playing down our situation but every single game that we’re going into, every team we’re playing, there’s pressure coming from all over.

“You’ve got to go in and focus on yourself, I know it’s cliche, but in a derby everything goes out of the window. It’s going to be scrappy and it’s whoever wants it most will come out on top on the day.”

McAteer, who joined Sunderland last summer, was also “buzzing” for another derby contest.

She added: “I absolutely can’t wait, we’re all buzzing, we have been all week.

“I know every game’s important for us but being a derby, there’s always a little bit something extra so we’re really excited for it.”