Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill admits they need more from their creative players.

Stephane Sessegnon, James McClean and Adam Johnson have all struggled this season.

The Ulsterman said: "There's definitely an element of that, but you should expect that, you should expect the opposition - they are not just going to create a path for you just to go and do what you want.

"We have to try to find some other ways either of getting them into the game a little bit more. That's very obvious, what we have to try to do.

"When you are a confidence player and you are trying a few things and they don't come off for you, it takes a really strong character to go and try to do that again the next time around.

"But I have got confidence in the players and I feel we are capable of doing that."