Wednesday 13 May 2015 16:44, UK
Julio Arca believes Sunderland will secure their Premier League status if they beat Leicester in the relegation crunch match this weekend.
Both sides go into the clash in terrific form and former Sunderland winger Arca reckons the winner will be celebrating - irrespective of results elsewhere.
The Argentine was part of the last Sunderland side to be relegated from the top flight nine years ago. In fact, he has suffered the feeling on three occasions with North East clubs.
The 32-year-old, who hung up his boots last season, said: "As a footballer, it is one of the worst things that can happen in your career.
"It happened to me once at Middlesbrough and twice at Sunderland - I didn't enjoy it one bit. It is bad for the fans emotionally and for the club financially.
"All the players are aware of that and they know just how hard it will be for the club if they were to go down.
"But it's in Sunderland's own hands and they might not even need another win to stay up. But if they do get a win on Saturday, they should be safe. Regardless of results elsewhere, I think the winner of this match will stay up."
All the players are aware of... how hard it will be for the club if they were to go down.
The Wearsiders host Leicester on the back of securing successive wins for the first time this season. Their away triumph at Everton on Saturday lifted them out of the bottom three - but they face one of the form teams in the division who look to have pulled off their very own miracle.
Sunderland bring down the curtain on their season with trips to Arsenal and Chelsea.
Arca added: "I was pleased to see them win last weekend and surprised too because it’s so hard to go to Everton and get something.
"It was far from a good game but they carried some luck and got what they needed. You need that luck to get out of trouble and at the moment they seem to be getting it when they need it most.
'Escape'
"I'm sure Leicester think they can win it - they have been fantastic recently. But Sunderland are in good form too and they will look at this game as a bigger one than the trips to Arsenal and Chelsea that follow.
"Last season I think they were in a worse position and they managed to escape from it.
"Not many people believed they could stay up but they surprised even their own fans with wins at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge to stay in the Premier League.
"I hope they can get the job done on Saturday before they have to face the big two in the last two games."
Dick Advocaat was brought to the club in March just 24 hours after the sacking of Gus Poyet.
While the Uruguayan performed what he labelled "a miracle" last season, Advocaat has gone about things his own way since taking over on a short term basis until the end of the season - gaining 10 points from 21 available.
Arca, who is taking his coaching badges at former club Middlesbrough, said: "Advocaat has brought a lot of experience to the team and there is no doubt he has got the players performing better.
"I’m a big fan of Gus Poyet and his footballing philosophy. He might have managed to turn things around but Sunderland felt they needed a change and you have to say it is working for them so far by bringing Dick in.
"He has done something there and if he keeps them up he will have done his job. I expect there to be changes at the club next season but at the moment the priority is to survive.
"Sunderland fans would still support the club in the Championship - that’s the way they are. But they have been through relegation before and the last thing they will want is for it to happen again."
