Sunderland's Duncan Watmore says Aston Villa game is just a normal fixture

Duncan Watmore admits Saturday's game against fellow strugglers Aston Villa at the Stadium of Light is a big game for the club, but he insists they will treat it like any other fixture.

Wednesday's 1-0 home defeat to Liverpool left the 19th-placed Black Cats seven points adrift of safety at the halfway stage of the season, although they are still four points better off than basement side Villa.

The visit of Remi Garde's side is followed by trips to Swansea and Tottenham for Sunderland and 21-year-old Watmore is acutely aware they need to start putting runs of results together.

He said: "We know Villa is a big game, but you have to treat it as professionally as you can and play your own game. We know the situation, but we need to treat it as any other game and try and win, and that's what we will try to do.

"If we all apply ourselves properly, we can pick up three points. We are looking at three positive results to get out the bottom three. We know where we are and we need those positive results quickly.

"The only way we can do that is by playing well and having a positive outlook on it."

Watmore came on as a first-half substitute against the Reds after Jack Rodwell was injured but was unable to prevent Sunderland from slipping to a fifth consecutive defeat during a tough December run.

Arsenal, Watford, Chelsea and Manchester City also claimed three points against Sam Allardyce's men during the final month of the year.

Watmore, whose emergence has been one of the few bright spots for Sunderland so far this season, added: "It is not ideal and we have had a tricky run of games, but that is no excuse. We need to start winning games and picking up results.

"We have to stay positive. There is no point thinking about past defeats when we have big games coming up. We have to pick ourselves up quickly and give the fans something to cheer about."