Yesterday's 1-0 defeat at home to Everton kept the Wearsiders just two points clear of the drop zone – with Birmingham and Bolton below them each having a game in hand.

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Sunderland's failure to score means they have netted in just three of their last 10 matches in league and cup.

Keane said: "I think there are five, six, seven teams down there fighting and we've said all along it might go to the last week or two.

"Our run-in is as difficult as anyone's which is why it's been disappointing this last week. We thought we had the opportunity to get three points at Derby and maybe a draw (against Everton).

"Yes, the players are down and disappointed. The day they are not after a defeat will be a very sad day for the club.

"We're down after the Everton result, but we'll lick our wounds and get ready for another tough game (against Chelsea on Saturday)."

"You have to keep believing, sometimes it's hard when you lose, but the spirit among the players is the least of my worries."

Sunderland next face two very tricky matches – at home to Chelsea this weekend, with the expensively-assembled Londoners desperate to make amends for their shocking FA Cup exit at Barnsley, before visiting Martin O'Neill's high-flying Aston Villa.

The crunch will come in April, when the Black Cats face crucial matches against four of their relegation rivals – away to Fulham, Newcastle and Bolton Wanderers and at home to Middlesbrough.

Sunderland will be desperate to be safe following the penultimate match of the season at Bolton, with title-chasing Arsenal the visitors to Wearside on the final day of the campaign.

Keane did not contest Andy Johnson's winning goal for Everton, but accepts it as another hard lesson in what has been a tough term back in the top flight.

He said: "It came off his arm but I think it would have been very harsh of the referee to disallow it.

"We have the benefit of replays, but, at the time, we didn't think for a minute that it had struck his arm.

"But you deal with setbacks. We've had our fair share, whether it be disappointing results, heavy defeats or decisions we feel have gone against us. That's the test of any manager or any player and we have to be positive for our next game."

Keane, meanwhile, defended Phil Bardsley who was booked for an ugly-looking tackle on Steven Pienaar in the second-half.

"Bards is not that kind of lad, but he is a tenacious full-back," said Keane.

"The referee had a good view of it and a yellow card was probably a fair punishment."