Former boss Gus Poyet pities Sunderland plight but questions managerial approach of Black Cats hierarchy

But the Uruguayan, who was Black Cats boss between 2013-15, has questioned the approach of chopping and changing managers, in light of pressure piling on current incumbent Simon Grayson.

Just one win in the opening 14 games of the Championship season has seen many question whether former Preston, Blackpool and Leeds United manager Grayson is the right man for the job.

But Poyet does not believe that changing manager is always the best approach for the club, citing relegation as a direct by-product of that policy.

Ahead of tonight's crucial basement battle at the Stadium of Light against Bolton Wanderers, which will see the Trotters leapfrog Grayson & Co with a win, Poyet told TalkSPORT: "I feel sorry for them.

"When I was there it was very difficult. The following year when we were just outside the bottom three they were expecting us to do much better, and I just left.

"You keep changing, and sooner or later you go down. David Moyes was the unlucky one. Someone was in danger of going down.

"And now to come out of the Championship is tremendous. Half of the teams want to go up, if not more. If three go up, for everyone else it looks like a failure. No!

"If you don’t have the right mentality, you are going to suffer."