Capital One Cup Final: Manchester City v Sunderland - Gus Poyet set for new contract offer from Black Cats

Safe pair of hands: Gus Poyet has impressed since replacing

Sunderland are eager to extend the contract of manager Gus Poyet as a reward for leading the club to Wembley today.

The Uruguayan has inspired a dramatic turnaround at the Stadium of Light since he took over last year, culminating in this afternoon’s Capital One Cup encounter against Manchester City, a first major final for Sunderland in more than 20 years.

Despite the team being without a Premier League victory in eight games when he took charge, there remains genuine optimism that he can keep them in the top flight.

That achievement has impressed the Sunderland board, who will push for a longer-term contract when the two cup runs – they are also in the quarter-final of the FA Cup – are over. Poyet only signed a short-term deal when he took over at the Stadium of Light after the chaos of Paolo Di Canio’s tenure.

His reputation has been enhanced during his first spell in charge of a Premier League club after previously managing at Brighton. He will only have just over a year left of his deal at Sunderland in the summer and there is concern that the club will be vulnerable. They will push to begin talks and so far the indications have been that the former Tottenham and Chelsea midfielder is keen to stay.

Poyet will become the first Sunderland manager to win a major trophy for 41 years if his side upset the odds and beat City. “I would love to be the first manager [here] to win this trophy because it is special,” he said. “We need to do the basics and be brave.”