Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce has warned the board spending will be needed in the January market.

Allardyce sees the potential at the club but, cannily, reminded owner Ellis Short of what is needed if he is to realise his ambitious plan.

"I think it comes down to how well you invest in the business, which is what we are," he said. "We've got to invest wisely in the business when we get the opportunity.

"At this moment in time the business is evolving by me trying to make the players perform better than they were before I got here.

"That's why Ellis (Short) employed me, for my experience in the field. 'Hopefully that'll pay off for us all and then, when we come to finding out at the end of the season if we've fought our way out of this problem, then we invest and get better."