Jermain Defoe thinks he knows the way to unlock Aston Villa this weekend.
Defoe's Sunderland host Tim Sherwood's Villa at the Stadium of Light on Saturday and the English veteran is hoping he and his teammates can utilize the high-pressing tactics of his former Tottenham boss.
"I played under Tim Sherwood at Tottenham and that's the way he likes to play - on the halfway line, high intensity," said Defoe.
"We've got to try and exploit that, maybe be more direct.
"With good movement and forward runners, we can cause them problems."
Sunderland currently sit 16th on the Premier League table, just a point above Villa who are enjoying a renaissance under Sherwood with two wins on the trot over West Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion.
