Saturday 18 March 2017 19:03, UK
David Moyes insists Sunderland can still survive relegation despite "missed points" in their goalless draw with Burnley on Saturday.
The Black Cats fell seven points adrift of safety after failing to find the net for the fourth consecutive game in a match which saw Billy Jones, Fabio Borini and Adnan Januzaj spurn chances to earn Sunderland the win at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland now face back-to-back away fixtures against Watford and Leicester City before their next home game against Manchester United on April 9, live on Sky Sports 1 HD, and Moyes admits his side needed maximum points against Burnley.
"It's points missed from my point of view," Moyes told Sky Sports after the game. "But I do think that in the games and the run-in we have we were always going to have to pick up some draws.
"I hoped this one wasn't a draw, there's other games I'd hoped to get a draw in. Today was a game I was hoping to get three points from."
Burnley were on top during a downbeat first half at Sunderland's home stadium, but the Black Cats were denied by a combination of Tom Heaton and poor finishing in an improved display after the break.
"We made three or four really good opportunities, which we've actually not been doing of late," said Moyes. "But we kept a clean sheet, we made the opportunities, we just didn't take them today.
"I think you would say on another day we would have scored those opportunities, we needed them today, that's a fact, we needed to score.
"But Burnley are tough to play against for a lot of teams this year. Even away from home they've not been winning but they've certainly not been making it easy."
Sunderland have pulled off late escapes in each of the last four Premier League seasons, with Sam Allardyce losing just once in his final 11 top-flight games in charge to secure their status in the most recent campaign.
Moyes took over from Allardyce and is the only remaining manager from the start of the season in the Premier League's bottom five clubs, and the former Manchester United boss insists the Black Cats are not out of lives just yet.
"It's tight," said Moyes. "We're obviously chasing it, we're playing catch up. But we've got a busy April and we missed Victor Anichebe who hopefully will be back for those games.
"I don't think we're not believing. While the games are there, Sunderland have done it before. I think that gives us a little bit of room that Sunderland could do it again. Don't be surprised if we do it. We've got to keep believing that."
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