Friday 28 April 2017 15:48, UK
David Moyes has hit back at criticism from Sunderland fans by insisting he knows more about how the club is run, but insisted fans have every right to vent their anger with the team perilously close to the drop.
The Black Cats are at home to Bournemouth on Saturday and will be relegated to the Sky Bet Championship if they lose and Hull get at least a point against Southampton.
Sunderland are bottom of the table and are 12 points from safety having failed to win a Premier League game since February 4.
And Moyes has called on the supporters to keep faith and suggested there are issues behind the scenes.
"I'm fortunate that I know a lot more about the running of the club and what goes on so I'm a little bit privy to that," Moyes said. "All I want is the supporters to get behind the players and make sure we give the players every opportunity to win the game."
"I think supporters are entitled to shout and vent their frustrations and there's been frustrations here for four or five years but the manager will always take the brunt of it.
"I'll tell you where I'll be, I'll be in the corner of the technical area tomorrow so that's where I'll be, that's where I'll stand, that's where I'll do my work and it won't change me.
"I don't think that I'm necessarily taking the brunt, I think that all the managers here have had a hard time and I think whoever has been sat in this seat has had frustrations themselves, it's been the same for me."
The former Manchester United boss, who took the job at the Stadium of Light last July to replace Sam Allardyce, also failed to rule out resigning if the club fall into The Championship.
"I'm here, I'm doing the job, my focus is to win the game. At the end of the season will be the time to talk," Moyes added.
After the Bournemouth game, Sunderland have a difficult run of fixtures against Hull City, Manchester United, Swansea City, Arsenal and Chelsea, but Moyes has claimed the Black Cats still have a chance of survival.
"While we still have a chance we will keep fighting. We want a winning momentum and we want to rediscover that winning feeling," he added. "If we can win tomorrow it will give us an opportunity to go again. But I've said that week in week out and we haven't won.
"I think we will need a really good run of results for things to go our way, but while there's a chance we will try and win.
"I'm here and my focus is winning the next game. Our focus is making sure we're prepared."
