We can still do it - Wilko

However, The Black Cats need to start putting points on the board now if they are to have any chance of survival as their defeat to Southampton on Wednesday night kept them firmly rooted in the relegation trouble.

Wilkinson branded the 1-0 home defeat as "unacceptable" and said nobody was without blame for the home defeat.

The defiant former Leeds United boss rallied a war cry for his troops though and insisted that his side could avoid the drop: "I still believe I have enough time. I still think we can stay up - I honestly do," said Wilkinson.

The league table does not lie though and the former England technical director has only seen his squad pull off two wins in their last 16 Premiership games, since he succeeded ex-boss Peter Reid.

Sunderland are becoming easy pickings at home and their away record shows just four points gained from a possible 24.

Black Cats skipper Michael Gray echoed the fans' sentiment saying: "No-one's really mentioned relegation, but now we've just got to accept we're in relegation trouble - it's as simple as that."

Fans are likely to stage either a no-show or a protest towards Bob Murray for the weekend game against Charlton, as the Wearside faithful chanted for the head of the struggling chairman during the shambolic defeat to the Saints in midweek.