Michael Beale reveals the key area he thinks he can improve his Sunderland side

Michael Beale has hinted that improving Sunderland's defensive structure is a key priority of his as he finally begins to get time to work with his new players on the training ground.

Beale faced a hectic schedule of four games in ten days after being appointed as Tony Mowbray's successor, leaving him little to time to implement any meaningful change. After a dire first afternoon at the helm against Coventry City, Sunderland responded well by taking seven points from an available nine ahead of the FA Cup third round tie against Newcastle United this weekend.

There was a further boost in the 2-0 win over Preston North End as Nazariy Rusyn ended the long wait for a recognised striker to get on the scoresheet this season. While continuing to integrate the four summer additions in the final third is clearly a key focus for Beale given his side's lack of clinical edge so far this season, his post-match interview with Sky Sports also suggested he will be closely addressing the other end of the pitch.

"There's loads to come from this group, they're a young group and there's so much potential," he said.

"You only have to look at our three midfielders, how young they are and how much potential they've got to go further in their careers and take Sunderland further.

"There are some bits around cohesion defensively that we need to improve on, and certainly today... that second half is not the best vision of it [of what we want] because the boys are tired from the schedule but there are areas where as a group we need to tighten up out of possession. Some of our play with the ball is very, very good and if the strikers start scoring, then the chances we create we can start to convert. In the four games, today was the game we actually had the fewest chances but we made the most of them and that's a real positive step for us."

The eagerly anticipated clash with Newcastle United at the Stadium of Light kicks off at 12.45pm on Saturday.