Sunderland skipper John O'Shea feels they can finish the season with a flourish.
Such is the confidence currently flowing through the dressing room that O'Shea believes they can set out to win each of their remaining fixtures.
Asked how many points were still required, the 31-year-old defender said: "We will take another 12, to be honest.
"The next four games, the performances that we have shown, we are confident going into these matches.
"But first and foremost, we took the Chelsea step - we were unlucky we didn't get a point at least; we focussed on Newcastle, we got the three; we focussed on Everton, got the win, and we are just focussing on Villa.
"If we can get something down there, hopefully that should see us across (the line), but we have got two home games then against Stoke and Southampton and a tough away game, so the sooner the better, as they say."