Everton vs Sunderland: Dick Advocaat insists new confidence will keep Sunderland up

Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat believes three or four more points could keep them up

(Getty)

Dick Advocaat, the Sunderland manager, believes his appointment has given the players the confidence to stay up.

Sunderland and North-east rivals Newcastle are locked in a battle to stay in the Premier League, along with Hull, Leicester and Aston Villa. They sacked Gus Poyet with nine games of the season to go as fear mounted they would be relegated. Two years ago Sunderland sacked Martin O’Neill with seven games left.

Advocaat said: “The key element for the team that stays up will be confidence and knowing they can do it. I honestly don’t talk about other teams, I talk about my players and what they need to do.

“Our players are more confident. It’s always difficult to bring in a foreign coach nine games before the end of the season. I am not a real English-type coach so they [Sunderland] took a risk by that, that the team adapt really quick for the way we work.

“We never speak about the previous coaches, they have gone, we are in and we have to do it. You cannot do it on your own. Understanding that is the most important thing. The consequences of when we go down is for the players, so very high. I have told them all. They know what they have to do.”

Sunderland have picked up seven points from the five games since Advocaat took over. Newcastle have taken none during that period after deciding against appointing a permanent replacement following Alan Pardew’s resignation in December.

Advocaat added: “I think we need three or four more points but that’s possible. I only care about our club. I don’t care about Newcastle, Hull or whoever.”

Sunderland are at Everton in the early kick-off on Saturday and Advocaat believes that gives their rivals an advantage. “It can maybe give them a lift that they have to win,” he said. “But we have to believe we have to win. I think the last four games should all be played at the same time. In Holland they do the last two games at the same time.”

Sunderland will be without their captain John O’Shea because of bruised ribs.