Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill has admitted that his concern is points in the Premier League rather than the position in the table.
Black Cats' boss worries about winning before table standings
Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill has admitted that his concern is points in the Premier League rather than the position in the table.
The former Aston Villa boss took over the reins at the Stadium of Light in December and has managed to amass 19 points, taking Sunderland into eighth spot in the table.
Wednesday night's 3-0 victory over Norwich completed O'Neill's sixth win in nine outings since his arrival at the club, surpassing his initial expectations.
The 59-year-old has revealed his primary objective was to secure a point from each fixture but has been impressed with his team's ability to go above and beyond and believes victories are what the players need to spur them on.
Ambition
"I remember saying the first ambition of mine was to try to get level points from the number of games we had played," he said.
"That was the first thought so it would give you a little bit of respite, you would need that on the board, and then eventually, you would look to go past that.
"We were able to achieve that and then obviously, the winning of the games gives the players the confidence and self-belief to go on.
O'Neill's Sunderland will travel to Stoke on Saturday with both teams level on points in the Premier League.
However, O'Neill admits he spends more time worrying about winning games rather than where his side sit in the table.
Winning
"Winning football matches is the be all and end all," he added.
"Naturally I am delighted for the points we have accumulated, and it's far more than we could ever have imagined and ever have expected at this stage.
"I am also mindful of the fact that we have a distance to go to make sure we got those extra points on the board, and while the eighth position seems pretty decent, it is not something I have always concerned myself about.
"You just try to keep the momentum going, which will be important because if you lose it, then you don't know where it comes from again."
