John O'Shea has urged Sunderland to direct all their focus on their relegation battle in their remaining two matches of the season.
The Black Cats drew 1-1 with Stoke City on Monday night and now sit just three points above 17th-placed Wigan Athletic who have a game in hand but far inferior goal difference.
O'Shea scored the 63rd minute leveller after Stoke's Jon Walters opened the scoring inside ten minutes and Sunderland's Craig Gardner was sent off after the half-hour mark and he now wants focus for the final two fixtures.
"We have to make sure we focus on Southampton now. It's a massive game at home (on Sunday) and we have one or two knocks and suspensions again so we will have to dust ourselves down and go again," O'Shea told Sky Sports 1.
"The manager spoke at half-time about how positive we were for the last 20 minutes of the first half and carrying that forward.
"(Injuries and suspensions are) the test of character we have to have in the squad. It gives a chance to some of the younger lads to get experience.
"We dust ourselves down. If Danny Graham keeps working as hard as he did tonight on Sunday he will get his rewards."
