Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is looking for good news in their Carling Cup clash with Brighton on Tuesday after a home defeat to fierce local rivals Newcastle at the weekend. Bruce said: "I have said since I walked through the door here, can we win a cup? We are capable of winning four or five games.
"We couldn't have had a more difficult start. Brighton have done extremely well, so we will treat them with the respect they deserve and hopefully win the cup tie."
That task might have proved somewhat easier had the Black Cats headed for the south coast with a derby victory under their belts.
He told the Sunderland Echo: "There's definitely pressure on us now, but that's normal after a defeat like that.
"Personally, I'm not happy because I have played two games and not scored. But we have just started the league and with the kind of players we have got, I hope we can score some goals.
"We need to start winning some games, but we have got quality players who are capable of winning games.
"We are down, but we are not out. We have just got to keep our heads up and keep going.
"We understand the supporters (are disappointed) because it's a derby game. Every derby game, we play for the fans and we want to win too. We have got family behind us who want us to win too, so we are all disappointed.
"But it happened last year and afterwards we came back stronger. I hope that happens again."
