Sunderland defender Wes Brown has underlined the need of a victory for his side against Wigan Athletic this weekend.
Sunderland defender wants maximum points against Latics
Sunderland defender Wes Brown has underlined the need of a victory for his side against Wigan Athletic this weekend.
The Black Cats were held to a goalless draw by Fulham at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League on Saturday and extended their unbeaten run at home to four matches.
However, three of those games have ended in draws and Brown wants his team to do better and pick up maximum points against the Latics in front of their own supporters this weekend.
"We lost our first two home games of the season, but since then we are unbeaten in four at the Stadium of Light," he told
The Chronicle.
"OK, three of those games have been draws and we know we need to win more matches at home.
"However, it is still a decent run of form at home and if we can win on Saturday against Wigan it will give us a big lift and push us up the table. It is all very well talking about it, though, we still got to go and do it out on the pitch.
"If we pick up a decent points return from the next three, we will be OK but if we don't it will be a different matter altogether.
"We have to make sure we turn these games into points. We need to be confident, not panic and play to the best of our abilities.
"I know we can do that because we have done it at various times this season."
No excuse
Sunderland are currently 15th in the table with 11 points from 12 matches, just two points above the relegation zone.
One of the reasons for Steve Bruce's side's slow start to the campaign has been the arrival of 11 players during the summer transfer window and the consequent time they took to settle in the unit.
Brown, though, says that Sunderland can no longer give that as an excuse for not picking up wins.
"When a lot of new players come in, it does take a while for them to settle in and to gel," explained the 32-year-old.
"However, as far as I am concerned, we are through that time now.
"We have had enough time together now to know how each other plays and to get used to how different individuals want the ball.
"That understanding is there and it is now just a case of putting it all together.
"At times, we have put it together and played really, really well, but at other times we have been sloppy and it is that sloppiness we have to take out of our game."
