Sunderland plight 'hurting' manager David Moyes
Friday 14 April 2017 15:29, UK
David Moyes admits he is "hurting" at seeing Sunderland sat bottom of the Premier League, but has refused to lay any blame on his players.
Sunderland have won only five times this season and are currently 10 points from safety with just seven matches remaining.
But ahead of Saturday's clash against West Ham at the Stadium of Light, Moyes launched a stanch defence of his players, insisting they are doing everything possible in their bid to stay up.
"I'm definitely hurting and I'm certainly not enjoying the feeling of being down here but I think part of football management is that you don't always get it good," the Sunderland boss said.
"I've had some really good times and at the moment it is sore.
"I don't enjoy losing every Saturday and going home to the family but we pick it up. I always think in football there is another chance, you always get another chance in football and we've got another chance this week against West Ham.
"I don't think the players owe anything to anybody. I think the players every week have done everything they can but at this moment they are performing and giving the best they can. It is not a lack of effort or commitment.
"I've said many times we might be lacking in a bit of quality at times but it's not for all the things you would hope from the players, I think they are giving the best they can."
Moyes will be without Bryan Oviedo (hamstring) and Sebastian Larsson (suspended) for the visit of the Hammers, but John O'Shea could feature having returned to training following the death of his father.
West Ham arrive on Wearside having claimed their first win in eight matches last time out against Swansea - a victory which moved them eight points clear of the drop zone.
Moyes is confident Slaven Bilic's side will be playing Premier League football next season and admits his players will need to be wary of the threat posed by Andy Carroll.
"I think West Ham are safe. I think they're a club and a team you would expect to be. They'll be okay," he said.
"We have a good chance of winning. We have to try and cause them problems. They had a big result last week, we need one this week.
"It'll be a team effort to stop Carroll. We need to stop the deliveries he'll thrive on and when they do come in make it difficult."
