Sunderland boss Gus Poyet says he's to blame for their 4-0 rout by Aston Villa.

Although he insisted he had not heard from owner Ellis Short in the immediate aftermath of the debacle, he took the criticism on the chin.

Poyet said: "I am responsible. I am one of the few in football nowadays, I am honest. When things go right, I tell you I am responsible, and when things go wrong, I tell you I am responsible. I don't pick and choose.

"I hate people when they pick and choose and they change, they have got too many faces. I am not. I am responsible and as the one who is responsible, you are the one who has to take it."

Asked if he was determined to carry on in his mission to drag the Black Cats out of trouble for the second successive season, Poyet remained defiant.

He said: "I do. That's not even in question. I need to accept the responsibility. I pick the team, we train in a certain way and then Saturday 3pm, that's the thing."