Manchester United defender Jonny Evans says Sunderland's home form will decide their Premiership status this season.

"I don't think people realise how hard it is to go away from home in this division," Evans revealed. "When you watch television, people think 'why can't they win away?' But when you go away from home, you play a team that is used to that pitch and is used to the surroundings.

"It does make a big difference and you can see that by looking at us at home. That's where we're picking our points because, just as teams find it hard to come to Anfield, teams find it hard to come to the Stadium of Light.

"We go out to win every game and we go out to do well whether it's away from home or not. But teams are always better when they're at their own ground.

"I don't think it's a mental thing - people just don't realise how hard it is playing away from home."