Sunderland's Victor Anichebe says club must keep fighting
Monday 10 April 2017 12:56, UK
Victor Anichebe says Sunderland's situation can get no worse and the club must fight to avoid relegation.
The Black Cats suffered a 3-0 home defeat to Manchester United on Sunday to remain 10 points adrift from safety and, with just one victory from their last eight league outings, the club's 10-year stay in the top flight remains very much in jeopardy with just seven games remaining.
Anichebe's return from a long-term injury has at least given beleaguered manager David Moyes a welcome boost, and, although it will take a repeat of the kind of heroics which saved the club in the last four seasons if they are to avoid the drop this campaign, Anichebe refuses to give up hope.
He said: "It's difficult, but that's life, that's football. I need to just keep going, the team need to just keep going and we need to just grind out results however we can for the fans who are here.
"We need to improve together as a team and we need to keep fighting. I hope that we'll improve, and we will improve. We will improve. It can't get any worse."
The 28-year-old admitted Sunderland's recent results are a tough blow to take for players and fans alike, adding: "They come in their thousands to support us every single week, even though times are really difficult. I haven't been in a position like this before with losses, and it's difficult.
"As much as it's difficult for them, it's difficult for us as well, it's difficult for everybody. But we need to just carry on, keep going because it's not good enough, let's be honest, it's definitely not good enough."
After trailing to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's fine 30th-minute finish, Sunderland's hopes of mounting a comeback were dealt a blow just before half-time when midfielder Sebastian Larsson was controversially sent off for a challenge on Ander Herrera - an action which left Moyes claiming referee Craig Pawson's decisions were detrimental to his side.
Speaking about the dismissal, Anichebe said: "At the time, I was right there and I didn't think it was a sending off. I think it was more Herrera's scream that made it a lot worse than it was.
"But these things happen in games. Decisions go against you and at the moment, these decisions are going against us. That seems to be what happens when you are not doing so well.
"But we just need to keep going, give it all that we can. However many games we have left, we have to just keep going, keep fighting and see where that takes us."
Henrikh Mkhitaryan doubled United's advantage seconds after the restart before Marcus Rashford added a third to complete the hosts' misery and condemn them to a fifth defeat in six league games.
