Tuesday 27 September 2016 01:39, UK
Jamie Carragher believes Sunderland's Premier League prospects appear bleak following their last-gasp defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
David Moyes' side surrendered a two-goal lead at home, eventually losing 3-2 after Christian Benteke headed home for Palace in injury time.
It leaves Sunderland, who miraculously escaped relegation last season under Sam Allardyce, rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table with one point from a possible 18, and Carragher was pessimistic over their chances of survival.
"I don't think there's anything to hang on to at the moment," said Carragher on Monday Night Football.
"It is the same every season, they have not won in August and September for four years in the league, and that is unbelievable.
"I have a problem with Sunderland because it winds me up to see them do a lap of honour every year after they stay up. They are awful for most of the season, then the Houdini act comes out. I don't know how they do it."
The club's pre-season preparations were interrupted when Allardyce left to manage England, with Moyes named his replacement in late July.
It left the former Man Utd and Everton boss playing catch-up ahead of the new Premier League season, and Carragher believes it negatively affected their transfer plans.
"I think David Moyes comes in and [finds] it's a problem a lot worse than what he thought, in terms of the quality of the players," Carragher added.
"They had a poor window, perhaps because of the Sam Allardyce situation, and he [Moyes] didn't get in in time.
"I was glad when Moyes said the players need to take responsibility [after the Palace defeat] because too many players don't and that's not just a problem for Moyes, it's a problem across football for managers."
Carragher was also critical of Sunderland's defending for Benteke's winner at the Stadium of Light.
"In terms of the goals they conceded, the last one is just embarrassing," he added. "You think about Lamine Kone, who was fantastic last season and just signed a new contract.
"He's your big leader at the back, and Jan Kirchhoff, who they got from Bayern Munich, is another who should be a leader.
"But who was marking Benteke? As a manager, what can you do about that?"
