JAMES Hanson is not predicting the outcome on Sunday but he can guarantee the Valley Parade full house one thing: It won’t be another Swansea.

City’s longest-serving player admits he still feels the pain two years on from the Capital One Cup final that turned into a rout.

But he learned a painful lesson from that 5-0 thumping by the Swans – not to stand off and admire Premier League players.

As the excitement builds for Sunderland’s visit, Hanson said: “We won’t fear them, just go at them.

“You look back at the Swansea game and we didn’t play to our potential. It still hurts now; we still have regrets about that.

“If we had played and really got into them, you never know what can happen on the day. But we sat back and gave them too much respect.

“Premier League sides like Swansea and Sunderland are full of good players. Let them play and you’ll get beaten.

“That’s why we’re just going to play our game on Sunday. I’m sure the gaffer will say stick plenty of balls in the box and hopefully something will fall for us.”

The game itself will not be on the box – a snub from the TV companies that has left Hanson as mystified as the City fans.

“I’m very surprised,” he added. “It would have been nice for the club to earn extra money.

“There are a few draws on TV that not many people will want to watch but hopefully we’ll cause a cup shock and get on next time in the quarter-finals.”

Hanson has played down the rising expectation locally that City are on course for another upset to follow Chelsea. But he believes their greater understanding of the contentious Valley Parade pitch will be a factor.

“The performance at Chelsea has probably made all the other teams stand up and take notice. I’m sure Sunderland will be wary of us.

“But we’ve still got to remember we are truly underdogs and there are two divisions between the teams. They have top class players.

“We’ve got to make sure we play the conditions well like we did on Monday. It was better but there were a few bobbles.

“Sunderland will have watched that game and seen how MK Dons tried to play football and that it didn’t work. They might have to change their style, which will be an advantage for us.”