Chris Coleman keeps the faith despite Sunderland's '˜soul-destroying' stay in bottom three

Burton’s win over Barnsley last night means the Black Cats are now rock bottom of the Championship with just 13 games left to play.

Black Cats boss Coleman said: “It is another one gone. There are probably four teams [in it] now.

“We need to keep it tight like that for as long as possible, nobody else getting away from us.

“Look, we are sitting here bottom of the table.

“We play at home Saturday (v Middlesbrough) and that now becomes the biggest game of the seasosn.

“That is how we have to look at it. Always another opportunity.

“We never missed the game, we attacked it, but we missed the chance to pick up points.

“We have been in the bottom three a while. It is the first time I have ever been there, really, as a manager.

“It can be soul-destroying, every weekend you are in there.

“It is still there for us. If we can get that elusive three points, the last five points have been missing, we can turn a corner.

“We have to keep believing.”

The Sunderland manager had been heavily critical of his players in the build-up to the game and admitted that their lack of fight was keeping him awake at night.

He had no issue with their performance at the Macron Stadium, however, and it has given him some hope that they can yet climb out of trouble. He said: “I certainly do, I believe in the players.

“I know they can deliver more performances like that, I know they can.

“We are going to have to, it is where we are – all or nothing, fighting for everything. We have to keep believing, as simple as that.”