Sunderland manager Chris Coleman believes that there is still a ‘glimmer of hope’ that his side can avoid relegation from the Championship this season.
With three games to go, Sunderland are rooted to the bottom of the table, six points adrift of safety. Relegation can be confirmed on Saturday if the Black Cats fail to get a result against fellow relegation rivals Burton Albion at the Stadium of Light.
It would be a second successive relegation for Sunderland after coming down from the Premier League last season, but Coleman isn’t giving up yet.
Speaking at his press conference he said “We have to eradicate any thoughts of fear and make sure we are still in with a fighting chance,”
“If we don’t perform and we lose then we know what is coming. If we perform and get the result then it’s still there.”
Sunderland are only one point behind their visitors coming into saturday’s game and a win for either side could go a long way in preserving their Championship status. They’ve already beaten Burton this season, at the Pirelli Stadium. They were 2-0 victors thanks to goals from James Vaughan and George Honeyman.
With games coming up against Fulham and Wolves on the final day, Coleman knows it will be a big three points, and if results favour the Black Cats it could see them move within just one point of safety.
“We have got to go into Saturday saying to ourselves there is still a glimmer of hope,” said the former Wales boss.
“Most of the spotlight will be on us but we have got to overcome that and get on with the job.”
Coleman’s side have only lost once in their last five games, including a 4-1 win over Derby County at Pride Park, but they’ve come into form at the wrong time of the season.
He said “What we haven’t done all season is backing up wins. We have been better away from home than at home, but a pattern has emerged in the last five games where we’ve been a good outfit”
Anything less than a win could see Sunderland’s fate confirmed on Saturday and could see the Black Cats slip into the third tier of English football since 1992.
