Team spirit will see Sunderland through a difficult run of fixtures, says Billy Jones

Seven games in and David Moyes’ Sunderland side are yet to win a Premier League game this season.

Without a game last weekend due to the second international break of the season, the Black Cats return to action away at Stoke City this Saturday.

Mark Hughes’ side are also struggling, with Stoke second-bottom and also yet to achieve their first league win.

Sunderland then travel to West Ham United the week after before hosting Arsenal at the end of the month.

A tricky set of fixtures for the Black Cats, who need to quickly spark their season into life.

Jones, who played the full 90 minutes in the Checkatrade Trophy win at Hartlepool United last week, has called on his teammates to build on the 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion.

“We have got the international period now to regroup and look at the games coming up,” said Jones.

“If you’re strongest starting XI was always fit and available it would be a different story but we have got to regroup with the team spirit we’ve always had.

“It’s a massive phase coming up for the team and we have to go into that and work hard.

“It’s going to be a tough little phase but you look at these games and you have to try and come up with a target and that will be our aim. We just need to show the same consistency and resilience from the back end of last season and I’m sure we will be fine.”