Nigel Clough will be keeping one eye on happenings elsewhere as Burton Albion clash with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light tomorrow (3pm).

The Brewers' sole focus at the weekend is to secure a victory over the bottom-of-the-table Black Cats that would maintain their place in the battle for Championship survival for another weekend, regardless of other results.

But with such fluctuations possible at this late stage of the campaign, Clough admits that knowledge of goings-on in the games involving Barnsley, Bolton Wanderers and Birmingham City - the three teams directly above Albion - is important and could ultimately influence their approach late on against Sunderland.

If Burton win and Bolton and Birmingham both lose at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield United respectively, Clough's side would be only two points adrift of safety with six points to play for.

Birmingham City are one of the sides Burton Albion will be hoping slip up this weekend
Birmingham City are one of the sides Burton Albion will be hoping slip up this weekend

Equally, Albion could find themselves as a confirmed League One team for 2018-19 if they fail to win and the Blues and the Trotters both do.

Asked what the Brewers would do if they find the game goalless with 10 minutes to go against Sunderland, Clough said: "It depends on the other results.

"I think we have to know (about what is going on at the other grounds).

"If the other two are losing, then a point keeps you right in there.

"It could be an important point.

"With our goal difference being so poor, then the others would need to win a game or get two draws from their final two games (to make sure Burton could not survive).

"So little things like that will come into play."

Albion's goal difference of -45 is significantly worse than any of their rivals, putting them at even more of a disadvantage with only three matches to go.

Lucas Akins applauds the crowd after Burton Albion's 3-1 win over Derby County
Lucas Akins applauds the crowd after Burton Albion's 3-1 win over Derby County

And with control long out of the Brewers' hands, Clough knows all they can do is continue to put the pressure on the teams above them, as they did with victory over Derby County last time out.

"Unfortunately ours (goal difference) is so much poorer than anybody else's that it's an extra point at this stage," he added.

"So we know we're going to have to try to win the games.

"It's getting tight and I hope it just makes the other teams a little bit more nervous after our result on Saturday.

"Bolton are at home to Wolves this Saturday, Birmingham are at home to Sheffield Untied, who are chasing the play-offs.

"We're at the stage where we need a favour from one or two teams as well."

If those favours are to happen, Clough and his management team will be well aware of them as they happen on Saturday afternoon.

Whatever happens, of course, Burton need to put themselves in a position to capitalise on any such favours.

"We want a better level of performance if possible, but we want a result," said Clough.

Nigel Clough
Nigel Clough

"It doesn’t come near, it doesn’t really matter about performances now.

"It just matters about results, it doesn’t matter if you put two passes together or not, but we do feel as though playing the way that we have done in recent weeks gives us the best chance of getting results.

"We'd like both but certainly this stage of the season, just give us a result anyhow."