Jermain Defoe is confident Sunderland can avoid relegation despite being a point outside the bottom three and still need four more victories and a draw to reach boss Sam Allardyce's minimum target of 38 points.

And Defoe said: "I think we'll be fine. I believe from now until the end of the season we will win a few games, because of the way we're playing, and the players we've got.

"The new signings - Wahbi Khazri, Lamine Kone, all of them, and even the lads that came in during the summer like Younes Kaboul - have lifted us. Emmanuel Eboue looks like he's going to sign too, so it's a top squad on paper.

"But there's no point just saying we've got good players, you have to go out and perform. The rewards are so big that the lads should enjoy that pressure, if they can, and make sure we kick on and try and win games.

"I think we just need to continue doing what we're doing. And it's important we stay positive, which we will do.

"We just have to make sure that, when that whistle goes on the last game of the season, we're looking forward to coming back to play in the Premier League."