DEAN KEATES believes high-flying Sutton United are more than capable of clinching automatic promotion this season but the Reds' boss is plotting another victory over the U's in this weekend's top of the table showdown.

Wrexham, up to fifth in the National League following Saturday's 4-1 victory over Wealdstone, inflicted the heaviest defeat of the season on Matt Gray's side when the teams met at The Racecourse on November 24 as the Reds triumphed 4-0.

That thrashing has not derailed their push for the title and Sutton twice came from behind to beat Bromley 3-2 on Tuesday night and register a fifth successive league win going into Saturday's meeting with Wrexham at Gander Green Lane.

The second placed U's are now only one point behind leaders Torquay with two games in hand and Keates considers Gray's men as genuine title contenders for the title and a place in the Football League for the first time in the club's history.

"It is going to be one heck of a tough game, Sutton are flying," said Keates.

"They shouldn't be seen as little old Sutton.

"We were both competing for a player over the summer and they absolutely blew us out of the water by their finances. They pay as big as anybody in the division.

"There will be no egos from our side going into the game and we are not under-estimating them at all.

"I honestly believe they will be there or thereabouts for the top two slots at the end of the season."

Wrexham produced a poor first half performance against Wealdstone and trailed 1-0 but there was a vast improvement by the Reds after the interval as they turned things around.

Keates wants his side to pick up where they left off at Sutton.

"You have to approach every single game with the same mentality," said Keates.

"We have got to start right and be on the front foot, and I have no doubt Sutton will be thinking the same thing.

"You saw the strength and what they are about for the first 20 minutes in the home game.

"We had to earn the right, we matched their physicality and we came out on top.

"It will be the same again down there; for me, they are possibly the strongest team in the division.

"They are well drilled, they are organised and they are efficient at what they do so it will be a good test for us."

Keates expects Sutton to be fired up and gunning for revenge following their loss in the reverse fixture but the Reds boss saw his side deal with the U's threat on that occasion and will be looking for more of the same from his team.

"I have no doubt they will be up for us after what we did here," said Keates.

"It is going to be a difficult game but we went toe to toe with them at The Racecourse and we got the result that we deserved in the end."