Sunderland in danger of losing Colback, Bardsley, Gardner and Larsson on free transfers this summer.Sunderland are facing a huge battle to keep a clutch of their Capital One Cup heroes.
Jack Colback, Phil Bardsley, Craig Gardner and Seb Larsson are all involved in contract disputes going into the final weeks of the season.
All four, who played in Sunday's gallant League Cup final defeat against Manchester City, are out of contract at the end of the season, but are yet to agree extensions.
Bardsley and Colback have opened talks regarding extensions, but have made it clear they are not prepared to re-sign on the terms offered.
It is understood talks with Larsson and Gardner are yet to get underway, leaving the duo unsure of their futures.
Sunderland's precarious top-flight status is believed to be a key factor in the north-east club's tentative approach to re-negotiating existing player contracts.
The club will be forced to reduce their playing budget next season should they suffer relegation, something that will have an impact on the size of contracts.
With the Wembley showpiece out of the way, Sunderland will hold further discussions with their out-of-contract stars - but there are no guarantees the quartet will stay.
Colback and Bardsley have played key roles for Gus Poyet since his arrival as Paolo Di Canio's replacement.
The pair will not be short of offers if Sunderland fail to resolve the current contract issues, with Colback a target for Everton while Fulham and West Ham have shown an interest in Bardsley in recent months.
Larsson has also featured regularly under Poyet, with clubs in Italy understood to be monitoring his situation.
A large chunk of Gardner's appearances under Poyet have come from the substitutes bench.
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SAFC in FA Cup quarter-finalsA look back at the Black Cats in last eight action in the FA Cup.
Ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final at Hull City,
safc.com looks back at some of the Black Cats’ previous last eight ties in the famous competition.
1. Sunderland 2 – 1 Chelsea, FA Cup quarter-final replay, Roker Park.
18th March 1992
Undoubtedly the best game of Sunderland’s run to the 1992 FA Cup final, this game turned out to be the last-ever FA Cup tie the Black Cats won at Roker Park.
Fittingly, Chelsea’s boss for this game was Sunderland legend Ian Porterfield who scored the winner for Sunderland in the 1973 FA Cup final at Wembley.
The first leg had finished 1-1 at Stamford Bridge with John Byrne continuing his fine run of form in the competition, scoring in each round up to the final before the top-flight outfit equalised to force a replay.
Gary Bennett and Gary Owers missed out on this clash through injury whilst Tony Norman and Paul Hardyman both passed late fitness tests, though the latter was eventually substituted at half time.
Sunderland attacked the Fulwell End and drew first blood when Peter Davenport opened the scoring after following up Dave Beasant’s parry from Byrne’s shot.
Norman would have one of his finest Roker nights as he was on hand to deny multiple Chelsea attacks – first denying Kerry Dixon and then Dennis Wise who looked certain to score with a point-blank header.
Tony Cascarino, who had previously notched five goals for Gillingham in the playoffs against Sunderland five years earlier, then managed to beat Norman, though he was denied by the crossbar when he headed Wise’s free-kick goalwards.
It was Wise who equalised five minutes from time for the Blues as he latched onto Vinnie Jones’ long ball and neatly beat Norman.
The visitors had dominated possession, they had the momentum and it seemed like there was only one winner until David Rush won the Black Cats a late corner.
Brian Atkinson stepped up to take the kick and it was met by a thunderous headed connection from Gordon Armstrong – bursting into the back of the net – sending Sunderland into the semi-finals.
2. Everton 1 – 1 Sunderland, FA Cup quarter-final, Goodison Park
17th March 2012
Sunderland went close to ending a 15-game winless run against Everton in this FA Cup quarter-final tie on Merseyside.
Phil Bardsley opened the scoring for the Black Cats before Tim Cahill levelled for the Toffees to set up a replay at the Stadium of Light a week later.
The Black Cats went into the lead in front of their 6,000-strong travelling support as Jack Colback found Bardsley from a free-kick and the former Manchester United frontman drilled past Tim Howard from 25 yards.
The lead lasted only ten minutes, though as Leighton Baines's cross found Nikica Jelavic, and, even though his header was going off target, Cahill reacted instantly to steer it past Simon Mignolet.
The Toffees would then dominate much of the rest of the game from then on with Sylvain Distin, Cahill and Royston Drenthe all going close.
Sunderland keeper Mignolet was heroic in the final stages as he preserved Sunderland's draw with a fine double save; first he plunged low to his right to save from Johnny Heitinga and then recovered his ground superbly to block Jelavic's angled shot.
The Black Cats held out, though they would unfortunately lose the replay on Wearside and miss out on what would have been a first trip to the new Wembley.
3. Sunderland 1 – 0 Sheffield United, FA Cup quarter-final, Stadium of Light
7th March 2004
Tommy Smith scored the only goal of the game to send the Black Cats to their first FA Cup semi-final in 12 years.
Smith’s goal continued the former Watford man’s fine run in the competition having already scored in the fourth round win over Ipswich and fifth round win at Birmingham City.
A feisty affair saw both sides sensing a big opportunity to go all the way in the competition and Smith gave an early warning of his threat with a powerful header from John Oster's cross which produced a good save from Paddy Kenny.
Michael Tonge nearly put the hosts ahead when his close range free-kick grazed the outside of the post on its way wide.
On 12 minutes, Smith got the only goal of the game as good play between Julio Arca and George McCartney saw the latter’s pull-back find Smith, who cut onto his left foot before curling beyond Kenny.
Mart Poom produced a fine save to deny Phil Jagielka from close range after the defender was quickest to react to Chris Morgan’s knock down.
Wayne Allison had a thumping shot blocked by team-mate Paul Peschisolido and Peter Ndlovu failed to make contact eight yards out after Jagielka screwed the ball back from the bye-line.
However, Sunderland managed to hold on to book a semi-final date with Millwall at Old Trafford.
